Will you remember me?
by ToZanarkand96
Summary: Imonoyama Nokoru can remember every woman he has met, but is it possible to lose the memory of one, particular woman? NokoruXO.C
1. Departing Memory

* 'CLAMP Campus Detectives' belongs to CLAMP and others who own it. I only own the plot, so please don't sue. This is my first fan-fic. Enjoy!

Did you ever wonder?

When will your loving ones die?

I've lost my mother at the age of seven.

Did you ever wonder?

What will happen after your loving ones die?

My father died yesterday night.

The girl stared and gaped at the woman's face with despair and agony.

Well not actually the woman's face because her face is always hidden with a fan.

"Please forgive me, Kotobuki san." said Rijicou with sorrow.

'This child is carrying so much loss.' thought Rijicou quietly. "I am sorry about your loss...again." she added sympathetically.

"What are you sorry for? It is not your fault, and besides..."Kira started to think about something that might cheer her up. "This is not the first time I lost someone precious." Kotobuki Kira just wanted to cry and crouch down to the floor, but she cannot in front of this rich woman who was her parents' old friends. "I swear. I'm fine Imonoyama san. I'll just pack my stuff since I have to catch a plane for Japan."

"Are you sure you can pack all your stuff all alone? I have brought some maids to help you." offered Rijicou with motherly concern.

Kira stared at her small room with a narrow gaze. 'Damn it, the tears are trying to come out. I've gotta be alone. Fast.'

"Nope. I can do it on my own. I packed all my stuff by myself when I left Japan anyway." Kira muttered those words with cold civility and speed in order to get rid of this kind and gentle lady.

"Then I will wait for you at the living room." said Rijicou when she felt the cold message from the young youth's face.

As soon as she shut the door behind her, whimpering sounds came from inside the room.

'Poor, poor girl.' she sighed and walked slowly up the short corridor.

Kira cried and cried until her eyes hurt like it was filled with blood. Her eyes felt like they were going to pop out with blood and salty water. This wasn't fair. This was just so unfair! How can she lose her father too? He promised! He promised he will come back to her. He swore he will come back.

Flashback

"Um, Hendrickson san?" a younger, seven year old Kotobuki Kira looked up at her foreigner house keeper.

"Yes Kira chan?" the house keeper looked down at the child with his usual nicey nice gaze.

"Why are we going to Denmark, I mean to your house? Plus, why are we leaving daddy alone in Tokyo?" asked Kira with sincere curiosity.

"Your father ordered all of his maids and helpers including me," Hendrickson quoted 'including me' with great indignity. "Your father told me to go back to our own places. Which for me is Denmark, and he also ordered me to take care of you." He has told this same statement over and over in the taxi and now he was saying it again in the airport. "And as for your father, he decided to stay in Japan."

"But, why? I want him to come with me. I want to ask him where my mom's gone, Hendrickson san!" she exclaimed in her highest voice. "Please, I want to see my daddy, or is he drunk again?" she questioned carefully. She didn't want to touch her house keeper's nerve.

"Look at me Kira chan. Look at me straight in the eye." The tired and old gray gaze met the brilliant and innocent amber ones.

"Your mother passed away. She's gone. She's not coming back. Never. My mistress died and that is why your father who is my master," he thumped his aged chest "keeps drinking and that is why his company failed!" He knew he have gone too far with his young 'could've been' mistress. Why did his gentle and kind mistress have to die? She made him in to a job-less, helpless, and retired old man. Worse, his master just dumped his cute, adorable, and innocent daughter into his care! If Kotobuki san really did care about his daughter, he should go on with his life without his wife and spend more time with his only child instead of closing his great Kotobuki company and hang out at the pub every day and night.

Kira's round amber eyes grew rounder at the old man's stinging words. "So it was true then. The maids told me that, but I didn't believe them. I thought they were just lying and making their own little joke." Kira said with a voice that was no louder than a whisper. Her childish mind just couldn't adjust the fact that her mother did die, and that her life wouldn't be the same again. She would live with Hendrickson san in his homeland Denmark, and leave everything behind. A silent tear rolled down her pink cheeks, and she could feel Hendrickson san's warm, thin arms wrap around her chubby, soft ones.

"I'm sorry," the old man murmured his apologies. 'What will happen now? How was he supposed to take care of this loving child, when he was so old and tired?' Then, he could feel something soft and soothing against his sallow and pale cheeks. It was something that he will call the lips of an angel'.

Kira gave a quick kiss on the aged man's cheeks. "It's okay, Hendrickson san. At least we will have each other, right? Besides, I'll get to see Nokoru kun too. He is a charming friend. You'll like him instantly if you just meet him!" She said these words as if these words were the only cheerful facts she could grasp right now. She didn't introduce herself properly to Nokoru either. He might not remember her because she didn't tell him her name yet, but he was the only best friend she had in Tokyo.

"Listen, Kira chan. I need to tell you this. You won't see the youngest Imonoyama zabitsu anymore." He hated himself going on about this tragic conversation.

"He's not too dead too? Is he?" At her former house keeper's words, her eyes spilled more tears and her pinkish lips were almost parted into a wail. Her hands made a tight fist. If this man was going to say that Nokoru was dead, she might throttle him without control. Her body shook uncontrollably.

James Hendrickson held Kira's arms tight. "No, no Kira chan he is not dead. He is alive and well, so is his family." He could feel Kira's sweet breath sigh with relief, and her body stop shaking. "But." Kira's body tensed again. "Kira chan, he could've been you're fiancé. No, do not interrupt. It means that he could've been you're husband when you two get older. If you're mother didn't pass away you could've had a happy life with him. You loved him, didn't you?" Kira nodded her head vigorously. He liked this part about young children. Their feelings were simple and straight-forward, and not complicated like his own. "Kira chan, when you're mother went to heaven, your father lost all the money he had and the planned engagement between you and the young Imonoyama san broke, and you are in a different social class with him now. Forgive me."

"I'm fine, Hendrickson san, really!" She made a comforting grin on her face and made pouty lips which always made adults coo over her. "I am glad that he is fine. I was so worried. It doesn't matter that I won't get to see him. It doesn't matter that he won't be friends with me anymore because I'm poor now." Kira paused at the word 'poor'. "It doesn't matter if he makes another best friend. It doesn't matter if he forgets me over time," Kira looked straight into her house keeper's eyes, "because I will always remember him."

Flashback ends

As she packed her stuff while she tried to brush away her tears away from her long hair, she tried hard not to think about Nokoru. He won't remember her, and she was nothing to him now. She clicked her suitcase with sudden anger and regret. She knew the fact that she loved him so much and that she had to let him go and get on with her own life. Her small and cozy bedroom will be missed so much. The fact that she will go back to Tokyo, the place she never wanted to go back, made a big lump in her throat. Such memories. She thought nobody cared about her in Japan. Why did Rijicou have to come now? Why before? Her belongings were not much, so her suitcase wasn't so heavy. Unlike last time.

"Now, where is that harp?" Kira said to herself as she rubbed the last tear drops away from her cheeks. Her harp was the one who soothed the painful memories out of her when she came to Denmark. It was also the only birthday present she got in Denmark from Hendrickson san. After she left Tokyo, she moved in to Hendrickson san's childhood home, a small cottage in a simple village away from the busy streets and noisy cars in Copenhagen. In the cottage, she have made a lot of freinds in the local country side school, and she was quite reluctant to leave. Still, the thought that she was at least was going to see Nokoru again made her heart full of hopes.

"There it is!" She said it pretty loudly. She reached for the rosewood harp inside her homemade closet. The rhythm it made when she plucked some strings was beautiful. This harp became her best friend when she left Nokoru. She sang a small tune.

Don't claim to know much~

Bout' the turning of the tides~

People they come and go leave a trace~

Oh, but you are certainty, question marks have faded~

"Good that I practiced everyday." Kira murmured with a little smile curling on her lips, as she packed her harp in its' case with her books and letters. 'Clothes can be packed later. Memories are more important,' she thought as she flipped through the photos of her and her school freinds smiling broadly in front of the cottage. I will miss you. She packed the photo album with force as if she didn't want her freinds' smiles get stuffed with all her belongings. "Now the clothes," Kira's slender legs walked slowly towards her plain, white closet. The closet doors creaked a little bit when she opened it. She went shopping very rarely to the local shopping malls with her freinds. 'Maybe that is why they thought I was just a freaky harpist, but I'm just not interested on shopping.' Kira thought quietly as she pulled out her simple and cheap clothes out of their clothing rack. Some of them were too small for her. "I guess I should give these to Rosemary chan." Kira chuckled as she thought of the twelve year old girl who lived across the road of the cottage.

After she packed all her stuff in her black and white suitcase, she placed her right hand on the door knob, and shifted her gaze slowly towards the room. Her redwood desk and a matching chair which was made by a friendly carpenter in the neighbor hood, the large book case that got most of the space in her bedroom, her old closet which was stuffed with memories just minutes ago, and her bed which had covers that matched the curtains, all of them looked so far away. She could've just lived here for the rest of her life if her father didn't die, but she just had to let these go and move on with her life in Japan, where she really belong.

'Creak', and the door opened. Kira's heartbeat ran so fast when she turned herself away from the room and never looked back.

The rattling of the suitcase wheels told Rijicou that Kira was done packing and crying. Rijicou had been sipping her tea slowly with the aged man and discussed about Kira. She wanted to end this meeting quickly because she didn't want Kira to overhear grown-up talk. "Hendrickson san I promise that I will raise Kira like a child of my own. It's just bad that I couldn't find her in the first place after the accident." Rijicou's red lips curved into an apologetic smile.

"I know that you will care for Kira better than me. I won't be her legal guardian because of my health anyway." The old man coughed twice after he sipped his tea. "So, you will take her in?" he asked.

"Yes, that is the original plan, sir. Her father regretted his life at his deathbed, and he asked me and my husband to take care of Kira. You know I will never say no to an old friend's favor. Anyway, she could've been a part of my family," she added softly. "Trust me, Hendrickson san. I am grateful of your parentage for Kotobuki san. My children will welcome her too, I can explain."

"Rijicou san?" The older woman almost dropped her fan at Kira's sudden appearance. "Oh, yes Kotobuki san, the limo is in front of the cottage. "Saku san?" She asked her driver. "Will you help this young lady load her suitcases in the trunk?" "Of course, mistress," come the answer. When Kira followed the burly driver outside of the house, Rijicou quickly turned her fan-covered face towards the elder.

"Well, then I will leave a maid who will help out in the cottage. Please do not worry about Kotobuki san, Hendrickson san," as she assured him, she walked gracefully towards the wooden door. "But it won't be the same without her," Imonoyama san, came the low voice of Hendrickson. "She is a present from heaven, from my beloved mistress, 'Hamasaki Suzuki' san."

These words touched Rijicou's heart. 'This man really did care about Kotobuki san and her family. How touching," she looked up at the full moon that was shining brightly in the night sky. "I'm deeply jealous of you, for you always loyal house keeper and daughter, Kotobuki san." A shooting star flew across the stars and vanished in the blink of an eye. "Thanks for answering," came the soft reply beneath the Imonoyama fan.

Meanwhile outside of the house, Kira was saying good-byes with her Danish freinds, all of them teary eyed. "I'll miss you so much Kira!" a red-hedded girl with freckles exclaimed. "You know that I will come back at summer vacation, so don't cry. It makes me feel like I'm a bad guy in those cowboy movies we watched last week, Janie." Janie dabbed her green eyes with a pink handkerchief and made a muffled laugh. "Yeah, those movies were really funny." "Promise that you'll visit us in summer vacation! If you don't come, we'll fly over to Japan and drag you all the way to Copenhagen," a pretty looking girl with a short height said sarcastically. "I swear I'll come back, Lizzy, no matter what." Kira promised and sighed silently. 'They clearly don't know why I am going to Japan.' "Who will stand up to Kat and her gang at school when Kira is gone? Kira was the only one who never dropped a tear in front of mean old Kat's jeers," said Janie, still weeping in her handkerchief. "If that scardey 'Kat," Kira made sarcastic cat noises at the word 'Kat' "pees in her sleeping bag again, swear you'll tell me right away. "Right, guys?" Kira joked trying to pull back her tears. 'How can I leave my BFFs and survive my new school in Japan?'

Kira's eyes trailed from her freinds to a man with a big belly. "Joseph! You came!" Kira's voice sounded like a high-pitched squeak. "Of course, I came. How am I supposed to get on with my carpenter duties when my favorite apprentice leave? Oh, Kira I will miss you." Then, he embraced Kira into a back breaking hug. Her gray hoody got stained because of Joseph's dirty apron, but she didn't mind a bit. "Thanks for teaching me how to make wood crafts and art. You taught me so hard and you didn't even accept my lesson fee," said Kira politely with her usual friendliness. "No need. I taught you all those skills because I wanted to, and I kind of enjoyed having you around, since I have no kids." Joseph said and grunted his usual happy grunt. "Well, I was and always will be your best pupil won't I? I aced Tech-ed at school because of you," Kira replied his grunt with a snort, "and I'll always keep the harp," she added.

Tears ran down Joseph's bulky cheeks and Kira rubbed his cheeks with her handkercheif. She grinned. They were always like this. Like the relationship between Harry and Hagrid in 'Harry Potter'. After she cleaned all the tears from Joseph's cheeks she spotted a small, shy girl beside Joseph. She looked more tiny than usual compared to Joseph's burly figure. "Oh, Rosemary," Rosemary has been her first friend in Denmark. Even though she was still in middle school and four years younger than her, she still thought of her as her best, best friend in would be so lonesome if she gets parted from Rosemary. Rosemary was especially close to her because she was the first victim whom Kira rescued from Kat's gang. "These are for you." Kira handed her outgrown clothes to Rosemary's petite arms. "Are these really for me?" Rosemary asked, her deep blue eyes stretching wide. "Of course silly, how can I ever wear these clothes when it only fits on a skinny person like you?" Kira said in an amusing manner which made Rosemary's childish smile grow broader. "Oh, thank you. Actually Janie, Lizzy, Joseph, and me prepared a gift for you." Rosemary's usually closed lips opened as she handed a small box wrapped in pink and lavender colored paper. "You shouldn't have," said Kira, but she eagerly stretched her arms delicately towards the present.

She un-wrapped the paper and opened the box. "She is beautiful," was all she could say. In the box, was the most elegant and graceful looking doll made in one hundred percent soft fabric. Her dress was the color of sky blue with with laces on the edges. Kira could tell that the doll was very expensive because of its mouth-watering silk dress and petticoat, and its' face! This doll was fair and handsome enough to be rivals with the prettiest Barbie doll in the mall. The doll had turquoise greenish-blue eyes that were Kira guessed, real emeralds. Its' nose was small and carefully drawn, and the lips made a mysterious curve on the edge of her lips which was similar to the smile of Mona Lisa. Last of all, her hair was the same as Kira's, chocolaty brown color that had a sweet aroma which couldn't be produced by any perfume in the world. Its' wavy hair came down neatly down to its' waist and the hair was clipped in a diamond sparkling silver ribbon.

"This would've cost a fortune!" Kira exclaimed after she thought she gasped and opened her mouth enough. "Yup, it did, but it's worth it," Lizzy's voice sounded so comforting and soothing. "Thanks guys. Thank you so much. I love it. I admire it. I adore it. I just can't describe this gift in any possible adjective." Kira hugged the doll like the way Joseph hugged her. "What should I name her?" Kira asked curiously. "It must be a name that is good enough for her," she murmured with an eyebrow raised as she brainstormed for a perfect name. "Here we go again." Janie, Lizzy, Joseph, and Rosemary whispered to each other. They all knew Kira's intense curiosity and her urge to answer unimportant questions. After a few more minutes of Janie and Lizzy's sniggering, Joseph's shaking of his head, and Rosemary's silent giggle, Kira snapped her fingers which made all of her four freinds jump in surprise. "I know what to name her!" Kira almost yelled out the words and made a fist as if she was speeching in front of the president. "What?" Rosemary asked, full of curiosity in her pearly blue eyes.

When Kira tried to answer Rosemary's question, Kira felt a warm touch on her right shoulder. "Um, Kira chan." It was Hendrickson who was breathing heavily from the cold evening air. "Can I speak to you for a moment, in private?" Kira knew that he wanted to make this conversation very quickly, and looked at Rosemary to see if she was disappointed of the ignorance of her question. However, Kira could only see understanding in Rosemary's innocent expression. "Sure," she replied. The two of them went out into the backyard. The familiar scent of Lilies, Tulips, and Daisies wafted through her, as she gazed at Hendrickson with deep respect. Hendrickson was scenting at the pansies she planted them months ago. "Did you know that you are very similar to these pansies? Pleasant to be with, pretty, and strong even." Kira cocked her head to one side. "Why strong?" She asked the wise old man. "Pansies are usually planted in autumn and have to survive the bitter winter in order to bloom in spring. How can I not call them strong?" Hendrickson answered. "Why do you think I'm strong? I'm just a goofy teenager." Kira retorted. "You had to bear so much pain and agony to survive in such a young age like this pansy flower." Hendrickson said wisely. "I couldn't have survived it if you didn't stay with me all along, Hendrickson san." Kira replied, gently putting her arm around his weak shoulders. "Will you wait for me? Promise me. Wait for me always like you did for nine long years," she pleaded. "I promise," come the soft reply, and then he added. "But I swear, if you come back here in the summer for a visit, you won't need me anymore."

Kira almost burst into tears. "Don't say that. Nobody can make me comforting except for you!" She almost screamed these words. "I love you, Kira chan, but remember. You don't really mean those words. You are thinking of someone else. Someone who you trust so much." Kira again was surprised as she discovered the truth in his words and thought of a blond haired and blue eyed boy she will never have. "Oh, I have a gift for you." Hendrickson suddenly changed the subject when he saw the sadness in Kira's face as he handed her a golden chain that held a gleaming locket. "I should've gave you this earlier, but I decided to give this to you today, and this is actually you're parents' gift. It is a sign that you are a true Kotobuki. Remember who you are." After he finished saying his business, he walked swiftly away from Kira as if he was trying hard not to beg to the young girl to stop her from leaving. Kira stared at Hendrickson's back in a dumbfounded expression. Slowly, she opened the locket that was imprinted in Japanese, 'The person whom I love.' When the locket made a quiet 'click' noise, Kira could feel her childhood memories all around her. The left side of the locket held a picture of herself, her mother, and father, but it was also very odd. The right side of the locket didn't hold any photo. It was empty.

"Kira! The limo will leave without you, if you are just going to stand there!" At the sound of her freinds' loud voices, Kira whipped her head around and ran towards the long, white, and sparkling limousine. Holding her doll in one hand and the locket in the other, she scrambled into the limousine as she yelled good-byes to her freinds. "You'll see them again." Rijicou assured Kira with her fan-free hand. "Arigato gozaimasu, but I'll still miss them." Kira added solemnly as she listened to the limousine's engine starting and the tires roaring into loudly. "You will make freinds at CLAMP school too. Don't worry." Rijicou said with understanding and kindness she usually showed to children. "Yes, I hope." Kira wanted to make Rijicou think she was extremely grateful for Rijicou's kind heart. As she watched Rosemary running and waving at her frantically, Joseph yelling 'Take care', Lizzy and Janie crying, and Hendrickson san weeping like a young man for once. When the figures of them disappeared, Kira shifted her head towards her doll. 'I'll name you 'Memory'. In the behalf of beloved relationships that helped me through so many hardships. How can I have better freinds than Hendrickson, Janie, Lizzy, Joseph, and Rosemary? Nobody in Japan will be able to make a bond with me as you guys, but maybe....' Kira paused. 'Maybe there will be an exception.'


	2. In Your Dream

*Before I write my story I give special thanks to 'James Birdsong' and 'Akirafanfic' for reviewing! I also dedicate this chapter for my cousin. Please RnR!

So here goes~

People say 'Life isn't easy.'

Yes, life is hard.

But life won't be so harsh and cruel.

If you just reach out your hand and ask for a chance.

A chance comes to your life.

A chance has long hair, smooth face, and wears running shoes.

The long hair is for you to grab a chance easily if it comes to you at the right time.

A smooth face is for you to make it hard to grab the chance if you lose the right time.

Running shoes are for the chance to run away as quickly as it came.

How does chance come to you?

A handsome teenager was walking swiftly in the darkness. His hair was blonde, but it glowed gold in the moonlight. The wind buffeted his hair, filling his surroundings with the sweet aroma which was strangely similar to his. The boy's face had the most radiant blue eyes that were the same color as the azure southern sea of Japan, a small and pimple-free nose, and light pink lips which practically made a flawless smile. His height was pretty tall for a six-teen year old Japanese high school boy, and the features of his body made every young man in Japan become envious of him.

"What a fantastic spectacle. I am once again amazed by the beauty of the night," then he added "with a full moon too." Imonoyama Nokoru murmured softly to himself as he gazed at the full moon towering above him. As he kept making cordial remarks about the magnificent night, the beauty of his appearance and words made the most gorgeous flowers sigh with jealousy and detest. Pop. A dew from a leaf of an Elm tree slided on to Nokoru's head, and a thick fog obscured his view. "What the?" The beautiful scene dissolved and a deep abyss came to view.

"What , what happened?" Nokoru's voice was filled with panic at the sudden change of the scene. 'Where did my wonderful paradise go?' He thought frantically. He never have been to a place like this before.

As his perfect eyes narrowed to the enlarged abyss, he noticed that there was a bridge accompanied by ropes across it. "Huh?" He tried to think of something that actually made sense to explain this extraordinary situation. Then, he noticed something or someone silver on the other side of the abyss. Nokoru squinted to get a better look at the weird but brilliant, silvery substance that seemed to whisper to him. For a few minutes, all he did was staring at the bright object that was slightly waving in the cool breeze. 'Forget it. I won't be able to figure out what that thing is unless I actually go over to the other side.'

The handsome features of his face made a slight frown as he focused on the swinging bridge that was the only possible way to get over to the other side of the abyss. The bridge didn't look so safe, and it was also questionable whether he was able to put his foot on the bridge or not. Still, Nokoru's curiosity and the eagerness to seek some adventure stirred at the back of his head. 'Okay, here goes.' The bridge swung dangerously. 'Whoa, this is a daring challenge,' he thought with a small grin. He knew he was an extreme dare-devil, but is this wise? Nokoru gasped when he looked down of the abyss. It was pitch dark, and it was just impossible to figure out what was down there. There could be anything. Maybe just that awful darkness or just a cement ground that could break his bones and make him go to hell. Or a man-eating monster!

Nokoru shook his blond hair which was covered with uncontrollable sweat. 'Since nothing makes sense right now. There could be a fire-breathing dragon down there.' He thought with terror. 'Maybe I should just turn back and try to get out of this uncomfortable darkness to my relaxing garden.'

As he raised his head away from the bottom of the abyss, something caught his deep turquoise eye. His legs that were about to run with great speed stayed rigid at the spot when he saw the silhouette of the silvery thing. The figure was not an object. It was actually moving slightly out of focus. Nokoru's jaw dropped and as if he was under a spell, his long legs started to walk towards the silvery person. 'What is happening? Why am I moving?' Nokoru thought frantically, but a part of him was eager to know who this person was. His footsteps made soft creaking noises to the bridge, but he didn't mind how much danger he was in because he was totally focused on the fairy-like creature who kept swinging from side to side. Tap, tap. As he heard his footsteps against the fragile wood, Nokoru was half scared that the silver person might blow away by the wind away from him, leaving him all alone in total darkness.

When he was over halfway across the bridge, he stopped abruptly as if his legs were back in his control again. His eyes automatically adjusted themselves to the silver person who was now apart from him in a short distance. Nokoru didn't have to squint to look at the person now. His fear and dread now completely forgotten, curiosity and intense interest took its' place. Nokoru could make out whether the person was a male or a female now. 'A female.' Nokoru guessed. Even though he could only see the back of the person and couldn't see her face, but he was able to see the attractive hair which was flowing gently down to her waist. Although he couldn't make out the colors of the beautiful person in front of him, he could tell that the she was young and that she was obviously a woman because of her soft looking dress that flowed down to the ground. He wanted to go closer and touch the soft-texture and breathe in the sweet and mysterious scent that was coming from her long hair, but when he tried to take a step toward her, his feet couldn't move against the hard wooden bridge. Nokoru almost wanted to scream from the frustration about the fact that he wasn't able to get closer to the lovely fairy, but before he could do so, sugary but a loud voice rang into his ears.

"Do you remember me?" The figure asked him coldly, but Nokoru couldn't feel any coldness from the woman.

He was only dumbstruck by the sound of her voice. Nokoru's usually brilliant and bright sharp eyes clouded with confusion about what was happening right now. 'Okay, I can't remember this person. I just walked onto this dangerously swinging bridge at my own risk, and now I might kill myself because of curiosity or die of thirst and hunger since my legs aren't moving. How can I be so stupid? The only thing I can do right now is just stare at that girl!' Nokoru's usual playful grin faded and terror took its' place. 'What should I do right now? Maybe I can get some help from her.' He slowly turned to gaze at the girl who was still rooted to the spot except that she was slightly moving from side to side. 'Yes. Think positive. She will help me, since she knows who I am. If she doesn't know me then why would she ask me that I remember her or not?'

Nokoru took a deep breath and made a positive smile on his face. He knew he was positive about everything and he also knew that he was a feminist. Nokoru tried to straighten himself up from the awkward silence. He can do this since he knew almost every single detail about women.

"Excuse me, do you know what part of country is this? This is a part of a Japan, Tokyo right? I have to go back to school quickly as possible before Suoh discovers that I slacked off. If he knows that I ran off again, he will make me do paperwork in the office for weeks, or maybe months!" Nokoru asked kindly in a sweet voice that made all female students in Clamp campus blush with embarrassment. "Do you know how to go back to Clamp school? I think I am lost and I don't know where I am. Will you help me, please?" He gazed at the girl with puppy-dog eyes that practically made females fall on their knees. He patiently waited for an answer with his never tiring, adorable look. 'Why isn't she answering? Didn't she hear me?' Nokoru thought with exasperation, but didn't show any of the frustration on his face.

"Do you remember me?" The girl spoke again coldly, but the sound of her voice was filled with sorrow and grief more than coldness.

Nokoru sensed the sadness that came from the girl's voice, and he felt offended because of the unexpected question and the same meaningless phrase. As Nokoru started to ask the silver female what was going on, he gasped. The girl turned and looked straight at him. Nokoru only had a short time to examine the girl's face since her nose and mouth was invisible. His sky-blue eyes widened as he locked his gaze with the fiery amber ones. Somehow, those eyes seemed familiar. Nokoru couldn't look away because of the intensity that was coming from the girl's eyes.

"Do you remember me?" The question came again and this time, a gust of wind blew towards him with the sharp question making the question echo in his eardrums.

"What are you talking about? Please expla.." Nokoru couldn't finish his question as the bridge rattled violently and knocked Nokoru off his feet from the bridge making him stumble and fall down towards the gaping mouth of the abyss. "Ugh." He grunted as he grabbed one of the violently swinging ropes of the bridge. As Nokoru held on to the rope for dear life not daring to look down, he felt a cold, sweet scent flowing around him. Nokoru finally realized that the girl was standing on the bridge and was staring down at him curiously. "Please, help me!" He yelled as he flung one hand on to the spiky wood even though he silently wondered if the girl had hands, but the girl only looked down at him with merciless eyes that still looked like amber colored flames. Then came the strong wind which was at least as twice stronger than the last one blew towards him.

"Noooooooooooooooooooooo!" Nokoru's despairing scream rang out to the walls of the abyss, but his deep voice of distress got muffled by the echo of the girl's laughter that boomed in Nokoru's ears as he fell down,

down..

down..

down..

to the unknown....

"Nokoru san! Nokoru san! Wake up, sir! My god, I think you had a bad nightmare!" Nokoru opened his eyes so suddenly with fear that his personal maid leaped backwards by surprise. "Are you okay, sir? You look as if you've just been to hell," then she clamped her hands to her mouth at the fact that she said the inappropriate word 'hell' to her young master. "I, I'm so sorry, sir. It just slipped. Please forgive me.." Nokoru's eyes started to adjust to his familiar and luxurious bedroom. As he started to calm down, he looked towards the cowering maid who was on her hands and knees, pleading for mercy. 'I would've looked like that to her eyes.' Nokoru thought silently with slight anger. It was all just a dream, but Nokoru felt deeply offended by the mysterious girl who laughed at him. 'Yes, maybe it's just a bad nightmare, but why I am so curious about that silvery person? She looked somewhat familiar. Her eyes, it is stuck in my head!' Nokoru felt tired and exasperated, but he didn't want to go to bed again since he had a bad feeling about his bed, its' duvet twisted and all five elegant pillows lying on the ground.

"Sir, please." Nokoru woke up from his thoughts and looked at his maid with a crooked smile that was sexually appealing to all women. "It's alright. You should get some more sleep Geiko san. I am sorry if you woke up from your beauty sleep because of my stupid yelping. Gomen," he said as he got back on his usual gentle and relaxing composure. "A, Arigato Gozaimasu. Thank you so much. Well, I'll go back to the servant's chamber, sir. Good night." Geiko murmured with her usual politeness. Nokoru made a small grin of thanks then a thought came up to him like a light bulb. 'I can get my father's advice! If he is awake.' "Um, Geiko san?" Nokoru asked the maid with returning politeness as he looked at his pure gold watch. 5 a.m. "Yes, Nokoru san?" Geiko was still in the other side of his room since his bedroom was so big that it took a bit of time to get to the huge double doors.

"Yes, Nokoru san. What can I help you?" Geiko hurriedly almost ran and tripped on the floor. "I'm sorry to make you fed up like this, but may I ask where my Otto-san is? Is he sleeping?" Nokoru questioned with an apologizing look that made Geiko's frustration and tiredness smolder like fire in the soil. "My master is currently in the living room reading 'Tokyo Today', sir. Do you want to talk to him?" Nokoru paused for a minute and answered. "Certainly. Will you go and ask one of the night-crew workers to go and tell him that I would like a private conversation?" "Indeed yes, sir. I think you should change since you need to leave at 6:30 a.m. for your council duties at school." Nokoru groaned. 'Council duties.' A chill went down his spine as he thought of himself in the dream, worrying about slacking off from work.

He made a silent chuckle. 'I am truly afraid of Suoh's nagging in both dream and real life! My habits since elementary school are still on the run.' Nokoru twirled his remote control and pressed a particular red button.

'Closet section on.' One of the many speakers in his room said in its' robot like voice, and numerous closets opened up at once, lighting up Nokoru's dark room.

"Section 6," Nokoru said in his usual morning voice, bright and determined about starting the day even though it sounded dull than the morning before. Nokoru yawned lazily but attractively as he strolled to his closet section 6. As Nokoru stripped himself from his sweaty, white sleeve less t-shirt, he put on his freshly cleaned and ironed school uniform. 'I guess it's still a bit chilly outside.' Nokoru guessed as he started to choose between his white summer-version, button up uniform and a long winter jacket that was printed 'CLAMP' in gold letters. Nokoru pulled the jacket from its' silver clothing rack and clicked a blue button from the remote control that said 'off'.

'Closet section off,' said the speaker.

The quiet and peaceful feelings of his bedroom faded away as Nokoru opened the grand double doors and walked swiftly down the European style corridor while the night-crew workers bowed 'good day' to him as they left one by one. The current day time workers arrived and they also bowed and said 'good morning' to him. Nokoru waved his delicate hands and returned their friendly greetings. 'I am glad that the servants are enjoying their work so much. Now where is Otto-san.' Nokoru tried to make haste as he half jogged and half walked down the spiral staircase to get to the first floor. When Nokoru finally got to the first floor, he stopped in front of the slide doors of the private living room and started to cool himself with his Imonoyama fan.

"Come in," came the answer and the door slid open. "Coming, Otto-san," Nokoru replied, as he walked in to the grand living room that was filled with the scent of common wild flowers. 'That's strange. The living room smelled like roses yesterday.' Nokoru said in a barely audible voice. "Ohayo, Nokoru san. I heard that you wanted a private conversation with me. What do you want to talk about?" His father prompted. Nokoru suddenly felt a rush of embarrassment for his dream. 'Maybe I shouldn't tell him. This is just so stupid, but it felt so real!' "Speak." His father said as he offered Nokoru a seat by the mantel piece. Nokoru took a deep breath and ignored the big lump in his throat. "I had this grotesque nightmare, and I am greatly in the need of your advice." The eldest Imonoyama zabitsu asked him a question than offering an answer. "What kind of dream was it?" Nokoru's stomach lurched as he thought about the merciless laughter that was still ringing in his ears.

"I was taking a night walk in the CLAMP school garden and in a blink of an eye, the scene dissolved, and I found myself standing in front of a huge abyss that had a dangerous looking bridge. Then, I saw a silvery substance at the other side of the abyss, and I got curious, so I walked across the bridge even though I was afraid," Nokoru stifled a sigh and continued. "When I was halfway across the bridge, I could tell that the silvery substance was a girl though I couldn't see her face. Then, my feet rooted to the spot, and I fell down to the dark abyss while the girl laughed at me as if it was funny." Nokoru hurried on with the phrase, but he didn't tell his father about the girl's voice and what she've said to him. His father's looked a bit serious. "You know what my son. It is the first time you got jeered by a girl like that, dream or no-dream." Then Nokoru felt betrayed as his father muffled a laugh. "What's so funny? I'm so serious, Otto-san." Nokoru just couldn't help it. His father is laughing when he need his advice the most? "Gomen, Nokoru-san, but it is interesting. My son being a grown man. It's just a start of adolescence, so do not worry." His father chuckled. "I guess, but there is this other thing that I have to tell you." Nokoru added as he quickly glanced at the huge grand-father clock to check the time. 'I have to make this quick.' He thought as he stumbled out the words that worried him the most. "The girl had fiery amber eyes!" There was a moment of a pause. The blond teenager could feel his father's interest searing him from head to toes. "Were you scared?" His father prompted wisely. "Not really," Nokoru looked at his toes as if he just couldn't meet his father's gaze.

"I was shocked though," Nokoru answered more bravely.

"I see," the misty eyes of the master of the Imonoyama zabitsu said as he turned his curious gaze to the fire-place, "but remember son. He almost said these words in a whisper as seriousness clouded his eyes, replacing the humor. "Fire may burn your skin and give you pain, but," he flickered his deep blue eyes to his son's. "You can't live without fire."


	3. New change, Another beginning

* 'CLAMP School Detectives' is owned by CLAMP and others who own it. I only own the plot. This is the third chapter! It took a bit, haha. I thank 'James Birdsong' for reviewing my last chapter. Please RnR!!!!!

As you get older…

You will notice a person who keeps interfering into your life.

Not your parents, siblings, or friends.

That person is called a lover, admirer, or a killer.

In my case, he is a killer.

Every time I think about him, he gives me pain.

Every time I look at him, he gives me tears.

Every time I dream about him, he gives me anger.

Every time I say his name, he gives me regret.

But still, I feel well, whole, and even peaceful in contrast whether how much I feel negative.

It was a sunny day in the CLAMP campus, and a blue haired boy with well-built muscles was about to give a stinging comment to his life-long best-freind about slacking off from work, again.

"Look, Kaichou. What is up with you today? Is there something wrong? Be serious, Kaichou. You are now sixteen! Sixteen! You should be a role-model for the juniors!" Suoh exclaimed as if he couldn't help the frustration. 'I think there is something troubling him,' Takamura Suoh sighed. He have been Nokoru's best freind and bodyguard since elementary school, but he still didn't seem to get the hang of Nokoru's clouded emotions. "Is there something troubling you, Kaichou?" Suoh asked for the tenth time and added, "or is there another damsel in distress?" "Um, Takamura senpai?" liyujin Akira peeked behind Suoh's broad shoulders to look at Nokoru and the enormous paper work. "Yes, liyujin?" Suoh growled as he tried hard not to burst his temper.

"I think Kaichou has a problem. Didn't you notice the tension coming from him? I think something is indeed troubling him." Iiyujin prodded his words carefully as he handed an aspirin and some hot apple cider to Suoh. "Oh, thanks. liyujin. Its' just that a start of a new term makes everything so complicated. There are new paperworks to finish before Saturday plus, I can't stay in the council office until six o' clock." Suoh explained to the younger teen as he took a sip of his apple cider. Akira's eyes grew wide with curiousity and childish innocence that always made him look at least five years younger. "Why five o' clock, Takamura senpai? You usually stay in the office and finish extra work for tommorrow. I thought you were going to linger in the office until Kaichou finishes stamping all those documents!" Akira's pink lips blurted out the question as he made tippy-toes to look closer at Suoh's face which was in this case, burning red.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Nokoru opened his mouth for the first time in hours. "He has a lovely date with Nagisa san." He added with a gleeful smile and flipped open his fan that said in Japanese, 'How sweet.' In a split second Suoh's grim look faded and he fell down to the ground with a thump. "Tsk, tsk. Too much pressure is not good for a young man who has such a pretty girlfreind." Nokoru's mischevious grin came back, and fanned himself as he helped Suoh get back on his feet. "So, you were okay." Suoh growled sarcastically. 'I just can't read this man.' Suoh thought as he sighed and tried to clean the spilled apple cider. "It's okay, senpai. I can do it." Akira said in a cheerful voice and added. "That's really sweet. I heard from Utako san that Nagisa san needed your comfort since it's been a couple of days after Nagisa san's trip to New York for her flute concert. She must be tired. I guess I should make her a nice vanilla ice-cream with extra chocolate syrup, her favorite." "That is very nice of you. Nagisa will like that." Suoh said and he blushed slightly as he said her violet-haired girlfreind's name.

"Suoh, sometimes I am pretty jealous of you. It seems that you have so little amount of troubles compared to mine." Nokoru shifted his gaze towards the window of the council office. He always looked out the window in order to calm down his complicated and tangled feelings. 'At least, Suoh and Akira doesn't get kidnapped by strangers or has to agree to a family engagement.' He thought as he stared at the window. 'Nor they get weird nightmares.' "Um, Kaichou?" Suoh asked behind Nokoru's broad back. "If you are done staring at the window, you may start working now." Nokoru waked from his day-dreaming. "Oh, Suoh. I was just wondering if you guys wanted to go gliding with me right now." He wanted to change the subject and the tension of the room into gliding. "Yes, gliding would make me clear my mind for a bit. A good relaxation will do just fine," Nokoru remarked. Akira's usual cheerful smile changed into a serious one. "But, senpai. The lunch break is over and we have a lot of council duties to do." Akira's deep black eyes were full of concern and so was Suoh's. "Look, Kaichou. I know it have been like this since we were young, but we are not children anymore! We have a lot of resposibilities to take. It's different now. The whole CLAMP highschool district will expect better of you."

Nokoru ignored Suoh's concerned comments. He perfectly knew that Suoh and Akira were one-hundred percent correct, but something was keep nagging at the back of his mind. 'The dream!' Nokoru stared at the blue sky once more. He felt as if the sky was trying to tell him something, and begging him to come along. "I need to go gliding. If I finish my paperwork, can I go then?" Nokoru asked as he turned his back from the deep blue sky. Suoh and Akira looked at each other for a couple of seconds and stared at Nokoru. 'Did their anti-paperwork senpai just said that he was going to do paperwork in his own words just to go gliding? This was the first time in years! Were they dreaming? What a miracle!' As Suoh and Akira shaked their heads and pinched themselves to make sure this was actually real life, Nokoru already started working with his pen, writing rapidly. "Aren't you two working?" Nokoru queried. "Uh, yes, Kaichou!" Suoh and Akira said as if they were reciting a speech essay.

Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Time ticked by as the three CLAMP highschool council worked their tails off. Both Suoh and Akira pinched themselves a couple of more times as if they coudln't believe what was happening to their blond senpai. Akira turned his head towards Nokoru who was stamping through papers with extreme speed, and looked at Suoh. Their eyes met. "Are you done?" Suoh whispered to Akira. "Not even close." Akira whispered back, and said. "Look at Kaichou. The documents in the out-box is starting to thin out. For the first time too!" Suoh looked gleeful."Yeah, I think there is actually something weird about Kaichou today. If he just do his paperwork in this speed, I won't be late for my date and perpare a special event for Nagisa chan!" Suoh's voice was full of hopes and he saw a small grin curving around Nokoru's lips. He has heard. "Yes," Suoh breathed out these words with victory and triumph. Akira gave Suoh a thumbs up sign and got back to work. 'It's not even three o' clock yet,' Akira wondered as he shifted his penetrating raven gaze towards the clock.

"Done!" Nokoru exclaimed as he punched the paper-free desk with his fist. He thrashed the hard wooden desk pretty hard, but he couldn't feel the pain. 'Finally. I am done with that lousy paperwork before four o' clock!' The raidiant azure eyes looked slowly at his companions triumphantly. Suoh and Akira's jaws dropped in awe and surprise. "Ho, ho, ho, how." Suoh stammered. "Di, di, di, did." Akira stammered with Suoh. "You do it?" They both exclaimed as they both rose from their chairs at the same time. Nokoru laughed. 'Their faces make me laugh. It is just a nightmare after all. I don't have to worry about it.' Nokoru comforted himself with his perfect laugh. "So, shall we go?" Nokoru prompted. "Uh, yes, Kaichou!" Suoh and Akira recited the same phrase again. Nokoru flipped open his fan and pointed at the door. "Then let the blimp be ready!"

2:00 p.m. Tokyo Tower 4th floor

Kira looked herself in the dressing room mirror. She've stripped herself from her dirty hoody and skin-tight skinny jeans. Instead, her lithe body was covered in a snow-white kimono, and her petite shoulders were covered with a thin shawl that made her look small and weak. "I can't even walk properly in this, so tight." Kira complained to herself quietly, since there were no Hendrickson, Joseph, of any of her Danish freinds around to complain or whine. She stifled a sigh as she gave another quick glance to her reflection. 'I look so pale and unhealthy, even ugly.' Kira mumbled some of Joseph's choicable swear words under her breath. It was obvious that she looked pale and unhealthy because she haven't touched any breakfast or lunch today. Ever since she heard about her father's death, she tried hard not to spill any tears in front of other people. That was her nickname at her last school. Tearless, steelheart, etc, etc. It became her habit sooner or later. Kira's belly growled with hunger, but she ignored it. She couldn't feel any hunger anyway even though her legs shook from lack of energy.

"Kira san? Are you ready yet? The funeral has started!" The motherly voice of Rijichou came from outside of the dressing room. "Yes, I'm coming!" Kira called loudly and bravely as possible. A shopping bag that held her clothes in one hand and Memory in the other, she opened the door. "Let's go, Memory. I will introduce you to Otto-san. If, if he can hear me." As Kira walked swiftly to meet the woman who wore a white kimono, she clicked open her locket and gave a small wink to the photo. "May I introduce to my husband Kira san?" Rijichou's cherry red lips curved into an apologetic smile as she stood aside. Kira then noticed a handsome man in his forties, but the man looked like he was still in his thirties. There were no wrinkles in his face and his hair was the color of honey gold which was neat against his brow. Kira's amber eyes met the pearly blue ones of the man and held out her hand. "Kotobuki Kira, desu." She murmured politely. The master of the Imonoyama zabitsu shook her hand warmly. "So you are the young lady who flew off to Denmark nine years ago. I had a lot of problem finding you. I postponed all my regular schedule to meet you today, and I am sorry."

Kira let go of the man's hand and said the same reply that she said last night. "It's alright, Imonoyama san. I'm fine." Rijichou put her white hand on Kira's shoulders. "The funeral has started. I think we can discuss this later." Kira nodded in agreement and walked slowly with the two, tall and gorgeous adults. Kira hugged Memory closer to her. 'Help me. This is the first time in nine years. My father didn't love me. He didn't care for me either. He didn't leave anything for me. He never even give me a phone call for nine years, but why do I feel so grievous? Why am I sad?' Kira shifted her glance to her thin wrists. Her blood vein showed slightly beneath her almost transparent skin. 'Just because I am related to him, doesn't mean that I should love him. Hendrickson san is the one who made me survive my harsh childhood, who gave me this personality! Not my father. I have only felt Otto-san's love for seven years, but still, I can't walk away from love.' Kira cleared her mind as she pushed open the double doors where her once beloved father lay in peace.

The Imonoyamas looked at her uncertainly as if they were expecting Kira to cry, but she didn't even spill a drop of water from her eyes, instead both of her hands rounded into a tight fist. Kira's gentle footsteps barely made any sound on the soft wood as she slowly walked toward the casket. Creak. There he was her father whom she missed and waited for so many years. Then came the anger. 'You dumped me in a foreign country with a retired old man, and now you give me this? Speak to me! Is this all I get? Grief and pain like last time? Do you know how many crimes you have done to your only daughter? You stole my freind, ruined my relationship, and made me into an heartless freak! Do you even know how hard it is to force a smile when I want to cry out loud? Don't you dare think you are going to get away with your treachery just because you dropped dead.' Kira's thoughts whirled inside her brain with hatred and anger, but beneath the enmity and loathing, she felt true sorrow and lamentation of losing the only family member she had.

As the funeral bells rang around the funeral parlor, Kira bowed down to her knees two times in front of her father's photo. (It is just a Japanese tradition to bow twon times to honor the dead spirit.) She felt pity for herself and for her father as she poured some liquor in a small cup made of jade. (This is also one of the funeral traditions in Japan.) 'I am sorry for what I said Otto-san. Will you forgive me? I need your help. Please look down at me from heaven and help me overcome my fears. I am still afraid.' Kira murmured a silent prayer as she grasped her palm tighter from shaking. Her father's portrait was smiling broadly at her. This photo was taken when Kira's mother was still alive. 'I'll miss you. Say hi to Okka-san for me. Good bye.' A single tear ran down her damp cheeks as she burned the last memories of her father away forever.

Afraid...

Alone...

Dark...

Change...

3:30 Tokyo Tower, the top most floor

A girl was walking down a narrow corridor still in a tight, white, and simple kimono. There was no one in the corridor only lines and lines of portraits of former CEOs of the tower. The corridor was almost dark. The only light it made was the sunlight that filtered thorugh from the huge windows which were located at the left side of the corridor. The funeral was almost at an end and Kira thought that she needed some alone time. She crouched down and put her head down into Memory's sweet smelling hair. "It's a dream. It's a dream. It's a dream. I, if I wake up, I will be at my bedroom in Hendrickson san's cottage, and who knows? Maybe Otto-san will come back from Tokyo! Yes, and I can go to the movies with Janie and Lizzy in the morning. Hang out at Joseph's at lunch, and have a sleepover at Rosemary's. Then tomorrow, I can go to the carnival with Otto-san and Hendrickson san! Please, this is just a nightmare. Wake up!" Kira opened her eyes with a flash, her bright amber eyes glinting in the afternoon sun. As soon as the orange glow met its' reflection, the bright flash that was full of hopes vanished. Kira slowly got up without holding on to Memory. "How can I be so stupid? Come on, this is not that horrible. Think positive!" Kira urged herself as she tried to pull back her tears, and looked down at Memory instead. "Help me, Memory. When will I be able to smile just like you?"

The CLAMP blimp 3:45

In the blimp, Nokoru sipped slowly at his herb tea with Suoh sitting beside him, and Akira gazed at the window and exclaimed. "We are getting closer. I guess we should get ready for our flight. Anyway, the Tokyo Tower still looks enormous!" Suoh laughed his rare laugh. "Iiyujin, do you remember when we went gliding four years ago? You didn't change."Nokoru made a slight smile on his lips too. "That is why president Ohkawa adores him!" This made Akira blush in deep red. "Ka, Kaichou. That's so embarassing!" Suoh and Nokoru chuckled. "Well, I have something to tell you guys." Nokoru said in a more quiet voice as he fanned himself from the noise he made. "What is it?" Suoh asked as he turned his golden eyes toward Nokoru and Akira's raven eyes did the same, both round and curious. Nokoru started to talk about his dream, but he only made an awkward silence by opening his nicely curved mouth by shutting them again. "Well?" Akira prompted. "I just wanted to say that I wanted to go gliding because I just felt that the sky is calling for me." Nokoru said abruptly. 'It's not a lie anyway, I have a strange urge to go gliding too.' Nokoru glanced at the window again which showed a wide sky with puffy clouds. 'It's a great weather for gliding anyway.' Nokoru sipped his tea some more, 'but why do I have this bad feeling?'

"We are almost ready for take off, Imonoyama san," the voice came from the cockpit. "We will ready the gliders in the flight deck."

"Now," Nokoru sipped the last mouthful of his tea and stood up, and Suoh and Akira did the same, as the three teenagers walked swiftly to the deck.

Whoosh. The wind blew hard in the atmosphere outside of the deck. "Take off!" Nokoru yelled excitedly against the roaring wind, and took the lead. As he jumped down to the clear blue sky, he flew straight towards the Tokyo Tower. "Kaichou, don't go too close to the building, and please be careful!" Suoh's scream drowned from the current of the wind, and Nokoru didn't seem to hear Suoh's warning. Akira was happy as usual. "I can see the whole CLAMP city from here, senpai!" He yelled out the words as if he was in great delight like an innocent child. "The cars are tinier than my thumb!" Akira made a irrepressible laugh and took up more speed to his glider. "Tokyo Tower up-ahead, 78m." Nokoru's left part of the glider said in a robot like way. "Such reminiscence." Nokoru said to himself slowly as he looked behind him. Akira was trying to speed up his glider as his, and Suoh was flying under him. 'Suoh is being too protective. I glided for years and never fell even once.' Nokoru made a small sigh, and gazed at the Tokyo Tower.

As his clear blue eyes scanned the floors of the Tokyo tower, he could tell that most people were wearing black and white. "I didn't know black and white was the new fashion style. How weird?" Nokoru uttered the words as he gazed more intently at the black and white crowd. "No, this is a funeral." He just couldn't help pitying the people and could feel his heart aching as he noticed some women in the crowd. The scene of the people in black and white reminded Nokoru about the old lady whom he saved from distress as he flew upwards. 'So this was the bad feeling I had in the blimp.' Nokoru wondered peacefully as he scanned the hollow corridor of the tower's top most floor. The peace in his face soon faded and it got replaced by surprise and sorrow. He didn't expect another lady in tears. There she was. A damsel in a pure white kimono stood out from the dark background. Her left hand was in a tight fist and she was covering her lips with her right palm. Nokoru didn't need to see the woman's mouth to tell that her lips were trembling. Nokoru couldn't help himself from flying closer to the tower.

He quickly noticed that the woman was very young, maybe in his age, and her hair was in a loose bun that looked pretty messy, yet natural. The girl's eyes were tightly closed, her lashes wet, and she looked so fragile that she looked as if she will break into pieces any moment. Nokoru's own eyes tingled with sorrow as he could feel the pain from the despairing figure. He was so close to the tower, but he didn't dare slow down as if the tower itself was a gigantic magnet. There he was flying in the warmth of the bright afternoon sunshine, and there she was weeping in the pitch black corridor. Nokoru just stared at the crying person as if hoping that she will feel comfort from his tender looks. It felt as if he was dreaming again, only better. He wanted to break the thin glass that was parting him and the girl to just simply hug her in his warm arms and comfort her, but his peaceful daydream shattered like fragile glass as the girl flashed her eyes open.

His daydream turned into lastnight's nightmare all over again. Her amber eyes were glowing much more fiery than the dream because of the bright sun, but there weren't any ferocity or detest from the intense gaze. Still, he could feel that her gaze was searing him as if he was really on fire. Despite of the cool breeze in the air, his body was soon full of sweat and Nokoru could feel his cheeks growing all red. 'I'm on fire. I'm burning!' Yet, he could not feel any pain, only a hot sensation. His adam's apple tingled uneasily and his hands gripped tightly on the handle bars as thay were slipping from sweat. 'No, this can't be happening. It feels as if she is looking through me! Is she reading my thoughts?' Nokoru thought frantically , but he just couldn't fly back to Suoh and Akira. He couldn't shift his stiff body or use his proffessional gliding moves to turn back. The only thing he could do was to remain his gaze to look at the thin white figure, and the figure looked back at him slowly. 'What should I do. I can't move. This is my nightmare all over again. It wasn't just a dream. I would fall now sooner or later.' Nokoru thought in despair.

"Kaicohu?" A familliar voice rang behind Nokoru's back, and Nokoru's attention to the amber eyes faded.

"Kaichou, it's getting chilly. We must go back." It was Suoh, flying gently beside Nokoru.

"Oh, uh, yeah that's right." Nokoru replied feeling stupid as he took this moment an opportunity to turn his back to the tower. "What were you looking at, senpai?" Akira chirped cheerfully as he glided gracefully next to Suoh. "Can't you see? She is right," Nokoru stammered as turned his glider towards the enormous glass windows where the girl have been standing. "There," Nokoru ended his phrase with his mouth hanging open. There wasn't any sight of a human being in the window. Only a single, elegant, and gorgeous European doll sitting on a corner. 'Where did she go? No, no it can't be.' Nokoru wondered as he flew back to the blimp with Suoh and Akira. 'A person can't transform into a doll, it's impossible. Why do I still want to see her when I felt so afraid just looking at her?' Nokoru had an urge to fly back to the tower in search for the mysterious girl, but he paused as he looked back at his fellow companions. 'Why do I feel pain when I see her? My heart still aches.'

Imonoyama Nokoru wasn't the only one who carried an aching heart. Away from the sunlight, away from the warmth sat a fragile looking figure crouched in a corner, it's body trembling from head to toe. "Who, who was that. Could it be?" Kotobuki Kira whimpered to herself as she peered cautiously to the window, but instead of looking directly thorugh the glass, she paused. Her minds blurring here and there as her thoughts whirled crazily like a roller-coaster. 'I'am scared, afraid. I don't want to him to see me in this state!' Kira gulped slowly and glanced at the window. He was gone. She laughed loudly, almost as if she was mad. As the chocalate colored hair whipped freely from the tight clasp, Memory's azure eyes blinked twice. Kira hugged Memory firmly in her arms and stared straight at her reflection with her hair flowing down to her waist. 'I looked so weak and hopeless when my hair was stuck in that stupid clasp! This is the real me!' She promised herself as her reflection laughed like a person who just won a lottery. 'If I have to face Nokoru and ignore him for the rest of my life, I should stay strong.'

'I'm a different person now. Acting always worked. It worked in Denmark when my Okaa-san went to heaven, but will it work now?

Everything will be okay.'

Click, click, click.

The sound of her shoes rang around the walls as her childish chuckle vibrated through the damp, dark, lonely, and grievious corridor.

That was the beginning of my change. A different me.

Ha, ha, ha...

CLAMP high school district council office 5:45

Tap, tap, tap...

"Takamura senpai, don't you think Kaichou looks even more anxious from the gliding trip? I am so worried. Should I give him some anti-biotics? I mean, if he is sick or something." The raven haired treasurer prompted gently as he shifted uneasily in his seat next

to the secretary with the blue-hued hair. "I don't think we have to worry that much Iiyujin. If Kaichou is indeed troubled, he will ask for our help." Suoh replied as he took his jacket from the rack. "Maybe he has seen another damsel in distress. Ja ne." Suoh took off, his feet light as a feather as he half ran, half walked to his lover. Akira sighed at the closing doors which held the presence of Suoh just seconds ago. 'He changes so much whenever Nagisa san is included. Oh, well that is the same for me and Utako chan, right?' As Akria watched Nokoru pace back and forth, then back and forth again, he decided to just ignore Nokoru. 'I won't be able to read his thoughts unless I become Imonoyama Nokoru himself.' "Um, Kaichou. We need to go now, or do you want to stay a bit more? I can fix some dinner at the terrace." No reply. "Imonoyama senpai!" Akira yelled, but his scream was barely louder than his usual voice since he rarely yelled. Still, no reply. Akira sighed, then decided to make a plan. Akira guessed that he knew Nokoru enough.

"Look Kaichou! There is a lady in tears!" Akira yelled more loudly. Luckily, Nokoru have heard. "Oh, gomen, Akira. I will try to concentrate on what you say from now on." Nokoru apologized although he still looked as if he was still lost in his thoughts. "Aren't you going to look for the lady in tears?" Akira asked even though he knew it was a lie and he felt guilty. "You know there is no lady in tears right now Akira. At least, not here in the campus. I can't feel any sign of a female crying." Nokoru finally replied as he shook his head as if he was trying to shake off a bad omen. Akira suddenly felt a rush of respect and reverence toward the older council president. 'How can he tell?' As if Nokoru read Akira's thoughts he took his own coat from the coat rack and walked towards Akira. "Don't be guilty, Akira. It is my fault not yours. I just feel a bit gloomy today that's all. Don't worry." Nokoru said warmly. While Akira gaped in surprise, Nokoru turned off the lights of the council office. "Coming?" Nokoru asked Akira in his usual kind voice, but it couldn't stop Akira stop wondering what was wrong with Nokoru.

'Should I tell Akira what I saw back at the tower? But, no. That won't be fair to Suoh. I guess I should keep it to myself.' Nokoru was lost in his thoughts again back in the limousine with Akira gone as he twirled his cell in his smooth hand. He looked at himself at the car window and was half glad that his driver was so intense on driving because of the heavy traffic. Nokoru couldn't help himself from thinking of the two glowing amber eyes, now the color of crimson from the glowing sun. He shook his head, ruffling his perfect golden hair. 'This is not just a coincidence. Not just a dream! I could have just forgotton those glowing pair of eyes, and now I can see them everywhere! When will this stop? Who was that person anyway? Where did she go?' Nokoru took a deep breath as he closed his own blue eyes tightly, as if shutting his eyes tightly would stop him from seeing the amber ones.

'Yes, I won't see them now, but..' Now, the image of the girl weeping appeared in view and he felt his heart aching

Then, another scene appeared in view. A familiar image slowly slipping as if it was one of his images like his dream. The image was covered in thick fog and every time Nokoru tried to take a glimpse of what was behind the mist, he failed. The only thing that seem to catch his eyes was a thin figure. In the darkness, with all of his senses thrown in with the mist, Nokoru could hear something from the figure. 'Dark, scared, lonely. alone, despair...' 'Who are you?' Nokoru mouthed, and when he almost saw the outline of the figure's face, a loud, booming voice woke him from his imaginary concentration.

"Nokoru sama, we have arrived." Nokoru blinked twice before he shook his head a bit to concentrate on real life again. "Thanks for the ride, um." Nokoru paused as he looked at his driver more closely. 'That is weird. Saku san is usually my own driver in school days,' Nokoru thought. "You are not Saku san? Are you a new driver?" He asked politely at the young driver. The man looked like a body-guard than a driver. "Saku san, couldn't come today because of a special errand for Rijichou." The driver answered flatly as if he was trying to be all man-like. Nokoru thanked the man politely again for the nice ride and walked toward the grand doors of his family's estate. 'Rijichou is on a special errand?' Nokoru thought curiously his mind away from the weeping girl, but somehow, his footsteps seemed light as a feather despite of the troubling gliding trip. Masaharu san, one of the Imonoyama's gardener was busy doing the finishing touches of the hedge maze. "Good evening, Masaharu. I see those hedges are almost done, I believe. What is it for?" Nokoru asked in a childish manner. "What is it for? What do you mean, what is it for. It's for entertainment, ne? You go in and get lost, and come back out again. Simple isn't it? I made it extra challenging for our master's brains! Such brains!" Masaharu exclaimed in his usual bad-tempered voice. Nokoru chuckled slightly. How hard his gardener tried to advance the level of the maze, all of the Imonoyamas found it extremely easy.

Ca-thump.

The grand marble doors opened and Nokoru was again welcomed by the bowing maids and housekeepers who were in a straight line. "Good evening, Nokoru sama," they chorused in an orderly fashion. "Good evening, ladies, gentlemen." Nokoru acknowledged them as he handed his school uniform coat to a random maid. "Your brothers and sisters are all in the living room sir." The maid who received the coat said in a squeaky voice. Nokoru's pure blue eyes turned round and his mouth hung open. "Really?" He said in surprisement as he dashed off to the living room as fast as he could. Nokoru couldn't believe of what he just heard. He didn't receive any signs about the visit of his brothers and sisters. Being the youngest child was sometimes very boring, since he was the only male in the family who didn't take part in his family's buisness because he was still a student. Plus, Nokoru himself didn't really want to take part in his family's buisness. He was in fact more intrested in CLAMP Gakuen, the school he adored since elementary. Both of his brothers, 'Aidoru' and 'Shoji' were traveling different parts in Europe, Asia, and North America in order to increase their comapany. His eldest sister 'Shinaka', who was currently married to the emperor's grandson came home too! As for his youngest sister 'Midori', who was only two years older than him also came back from her trip to California.

Nokoru pushed open the anicient Japanese doors which lead to the grand living room. "Konbangwa, Nokoru kun. Long time no see, eh?" Aidoru and Shoji hugged him tightly while Shinaka and Shoji laughed gently as they put their delicate hands on Nokoru's shoulders. "Wow Nokoru kun! Look how much you have grown since I left to the castle. You are taller than Aidoru now," Shinaka said sarcastically. "Shinaka chan! I missed you so much, and Midori chan." Nokoru said as he winked at his two older brothers who were giving their sisters a jealous look. "Well, well Nokoru kun. Here is a present for you from California," Midori said as she handed Nokoru a small giftbox wrapped in red wrapping paper. "You shouldn't have." Nokoru said as he glanced at his sister uneasily. 'Midori haven't changed.' The gift was a golden watch that had an elegant emblem of an angel on the bottom. "Wow, Midori. Arigato." Nokoru smiled at Midori as he unhooked his silver watch and replaced it with a new one, and glanced at the table behind Midori. "You have another present?" Nokoru asked when he noticed a bigger giftbox wrapped in blue wrapping paper. "Oh, that is for our guest." Shoji answered brightly. "We have a guest?" Nokoru asked curiously, his curiosity nerve bursting open. "Who is it?" Nokoru looked around the large living room once more. There was no sight of a new guest.

"I'll give you a hint," Aidoru said. "Our guest is a female." Nokoru's brain buzzed with puzzlement, then groaned. "Another damsel from the fiance list?" Nokoru was half glad when all four of his siblings shook their heads. "Not quite, she is not your fiance, but she is a daughter from a couple who was our parents' freinds." Shoji explained in a calm expression. Nokoru could already imagine the apearance of the new guest. The only thing he had to do was to just think about the girls who visited the Imonoyama estate a couple of times to win over his heart. All of their parents had a connection with his parents, and all of them were exceedingly pretty. Just like a model. Just like any celebrities from Hollywood, but at the last moment he just didn't want to select a fiance since he is a true lady's man, right? Anyway, this new guest seems to be a daughter from an extremely rich family. Obviously, the only people who would befreind his parents should be either rich or wealthy, I mean what's the difference? Okay, so she would have a perfect face, a fabulous body, and a shy manner. Nokoru himself have been kind to those ladies all the time. He never said 'no', and eventually they fell for him very easily. He expected this girl to be predictable, fiance or not. His guess was always right anyway.

"So, where is she? I am looking forward to meet her." Nokoru asked carefully trying hard to keep his mind closed from his genious brothers and sisters. "I don't know. She was right here with us before you came in didn't she, Shinaka?" Midori leaped gently from the elegant feather sofa as she cocked her head to one side, facing Shinaka. "Yeah, she was right here. Oh, maybe she wandered off somewhere. Gosh, do we have to organize a search party?" Shinaka made a small frown worriedly. 'Oh, so she's lost. Guess she will be terrified right now.' Nokoru wasn't so surprised by the sudden news, since there once was an occasion about a large group of reporters from a radio station lost in the basement of the Imonoyama estate, but they were always found quickly, in a blink of an eye.

"Well, I guess I should take a part in the search. I just can't keep still if a beautiful damsel is in need. I'll search the backyard first." Nokoru ignored the soft giggles from Shinaka and Midori as he leaped off from the balcony to the backyard which was lit with rows and rows or romantic candlelights. "Where are you, princess?" Nokoru asked to himself, his lips curving into a mischevious smile. During the amusing search and patrols in the backyard, Nokoru laughed quite a few times when he tumbled on the grass in exhaustion, but the crimson eyes and the figure still lingered in the back of his head. For a few minutes, Nokoru just lay there forgetting the important search of the new guest, but he soon leaped back to his feet. "Maybe she is inside. Guess I should just go in. Oh man, it's getting so cold out here." Nokoru shivered since he had no coat to protect him from the hissing winds, but as soon as he turned his heels towards the balcony, a sweet harp song tingled his ears.

Music that seemed to trap and seize his body in place...

Voice that seemed to waft and dull his senses...

Song that seemed to control and penetrate his mind...

Someone who seemed to wait and yearn for him...


	4. Lost and Found

***'CLAMP Campus Detectives' is a property to CLAMP and others who own it. I only own the plot, so please don't sue. This is the fourth chapter! Enjoy~RnR  
I am also thinking of stop writing this fic since there aren't enough reviews, so please review!**

**If I could say 'I like you'...**

**Even the darkness would change into a deep, blue sky.**

**If I could say 'I love you'...**

**Even grief would vanish from this world.**

**I need to know pain in order to know love.**

**I might hurt myself, or destroy my soul, but...**

**Everything will go okay.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Because of your existence.**

Nokoru's feet rooted to the spot. He could feel the music flowing around him, and the slow rhythm of the strings seemed to soothe his troubled mind. 'Who is playing such beautiful music?' He wondered silently to himself as he walked swiftly towards the hedge maze. His security withered away as he stepped closer and closer to the darkness, away from the bright lights of the estate. The sound of the harp felt like cream and milk with a little hint of honey and cocoa. The sound of the harp seemed to hold a special scent too. Soft, comfortable, and sweet and many words more. He couldn't describe the relaxation which the music was giving him. Tastier than the most richest chocolate, sweeter than any roses in his garden, worthier than any goddess in the legends and prophecies. 'Where is the music coming from?' Nokoru wondered greedily as he followed the trail of the tempting senses. The touch, the scent, the taste, the sound wafted around his palm, nose, lips, and ears. The troubling nightmare and the girl's tears were long forgotton as Nokoru went in deeper and deeper into the hedges, he also forgot the fact that he didn't have a clue where he was going and where he was! Even the smart brain of Nokoru's couldn't forget the fact that he was doing a reckless and a stupid action. But what could he do? He was just so addicted to it.

The maze grew scarier and scarier, but Nokoru didn't care a bit. He just wanted to find out who was playing such lovely music, and he somehow figured out that the person is a female. The rhythm and the texture which tingled his senses was just the one only a female could produce. It was like a kiss. An invisible fairy singing a toxic but sweet love song in his ears. Nokoru perfectly knew that he never had a girlfreind let alone kissing one. But he now understand what it tasted like. It was just a music, but the taste it gave when he exhaled deeply! The louder and clearer sound made Nokoru's hopes up. 'I must be getting closer.' Nokoru thought. 'This feeling! It is so new, I never felt it before? Is it love? But how can I fall in love with a person whom I never met!' Nokoru could already imagine what this person will look like. She would be just like him in a girl-version! Nokoru chuckled a decent laugh as he half-ran, feeling a million fairies beside him. As he ran, he felt more and more worn out. The desperation to find the location of the music. He felt hunger and thirst for more than just a feeling. 'This isn't enough! It's so tempting! Why am I all tingly inside?' Minutes felt like hours and as time went by. Nokoru felt as if his heart will burst open and his body would rip into shreds. The only thing that kept his feet moving was his desire and greed for the mysterious harpist. Just when Nokoru felt he was going to faint any moment, a voice melted into his ears along with the tune. The lyrics made him helplessly intoxicated by the sudden wave of delicacy, as he brought himself together in search of the music.

**Nothing we couldn't do, hand in hand~**

**When the path was dark, I could see sparks~**

**As you sailed straight through to my heart~**

**I will dry your tears, shake off your fears~**

**As we sail into our blue destiny~**

**In the early light~**

**As your smile breaks like morning~**

**Something inside me stirs pure and true~**

**It's the curving of your back~**

**The protection in your warm arms~**

**Mountains could fall and I won't have a clue~**

**They can tell us our love is wrong~**

**Tell us it's all in vain~**

**But if we fall to the ground tomorrow~**

**Love is in the remains~**

Nokoru felt his energy drain from his body, but in his head, he knew that he heard this voice somewhere. 'Weird.' Nokoru thought, as he huffed and puffed because of lack of energy. 'I mostly remember every single female's voice. Why can't I remember this one?' The song rang in his ears. Even though Nokoru felt as if he will just collapse to the ground any moment, he still felt as if an important part of himself came back to him. Nokoru tried hard to describe this situation into his own words. 'Yes, my legs and arms are aching so much, and I am lacking oxygen, it feels like I am dead, but actually, it feels as if a big part of body, soul, and life came back to me from the unknown. I am painful and tranquill at the same time. Why is this happening? This music makes a big part of me getting restored, again. I want to get some answers. I need them desperately. Was this what the dream meant?' Nokoru tried to push these thoughts away while he closed his eyes, just letting his instincts to let him take to where the beautiful creature with the harp was. He himself hummed along with the tune, and while he was closing his eyes, he saw an image. An image of himself when he was just a little kid, before he met Idomu.

The young version of Nokoru was crouched in a place full of flowers and the sky was crimson by the setting sun. The older version of Nokoru didn't have a clue of what was going on, and as he tried to see the image closer, he noticed that a chubby, white palm was held before the younger version of Nokoru's face. But before the real Nokoru could see a glimpse of the owner of the palm, he was back to reality. He opened his eyes in a flash, rubbing his forehead. It felt as if he have just been to heaven, but the pain began to come. His legs felt tired and sore, and his muscles ached from too much running. Plus, his forehead started to sting as if he just bumped into something or _someone_. As he tried to make his eyes focus on the reality, he discovered that he was flat on his back and was looking straight ahead into the starry night sky of Tokyo. Everything seemed to blurr, so he decided to get up as quickly as he could. 'Ow, it really does hurt.' Nokoru murmured to himself as he tried to push himself up with the strength he got left inside his body. As he pulled his torso from the wet grass, he saw the _thing _which he was bumped into.

It was actually a person, who was a female as he expected. At first everything was blurry as he tried to focus to the girl. He felt pretty sure that this person was the one who was the daughter of his parents' friends, but his guess vanished away when his focus of the girl came back. As soon as he focused on the girl, he realized who she was and gaped at her. She had the exact same fiery glow in her eyes like the one in his dream and in the tower. Although the glow in her eyes became more gentle and smooth, he couldn't help himself noticing the shock and surprise which came from the countenance of the girl. For seconds they just looked at each other, with surprise as if both of them were waiting for something amazing would happen. In the dream and at the tower, Nokoru felt helpless and centralized on the pair of amber eyes, but not this time. He stared at the amber ones with his piercing blue gaze, not the warm and loving looks he gave to the female students in CLAMP, but a cold and penetrating gaze he gave Suoh or Akira if he wanted to tear up their clouded emotions about their girlfreinds. The girl seemed half startled and half confused.

'Yes, that is exactly how you should feel. But don't think I am being cruel to you, miss. I am just doing some pay-back. You don't know how much you startled me back at the tower do you? You almost killed me!' Nokoru curved his lips and lolled his tongue to one side of the curves of his sexy lips. Unfortuantely, Nokoru's plan for revenge didn't work as well as he thought it would. Just before he could take a good look at her feelings, she stood up abruptly, covering her emotions in an iron, thick barrier that was impossible to penetrate, and the startled look in her eyes changed into annoying ones which girls made when they decided to be bitchy. "What the heck were you doing? Flailing around like that with your eyes closed! Are you mad?" The girl looked as if she was very angry and Nokoru thought that it would be wise not to cross the line. Nokoru decided to stand up, but suddenly his hands felt clammy and seriously uncomfortable. 'Why are my hands so sweaty all of a sudden? Did she feel it? Did she notice that I tried to read her thoughts?' His mouth felt taut and his stomach lurched as he tried to scramble back to his feet but failed miserably back to his back in a thump. While Nokoru thought something was going unbelievably wrong, the girl made a small giggle.

"Are you alright? Here, grab my hand." The girl said, her eyes making a gentle and curious shape as she handed him her smooth palm. Nokoru thought she was looking at him as if he was just a little, naughty child and took the hand with great indignity. 'How dare she look at me like that!' But of course, Nokoru didn't show any of his feelings on his face. He just smiled his usual charming grins as he stood up, but when he let go of her hand he couldn't help noticing how smooth and delicate her palm was. "You okay? Sorry about that. I didn't mean to be _that _snappy." The girl gave him an apologetic look at him as she cocked her head to one side as if Nokoru was a new creature from a different planet. At first, Nokoru thought the girl was staring at him because she admired him, but he soon knew that her eyes only showed sincere curiosity. Her amber eyes were no longer glowing and its' eyebrows were slightly tilted by the awkward silence that hung in the air. Nokoru replied after some coughs. 'How can I be so idiotic? Why am I so uncomfortable in front of her?' His adam's apple tingled uneasily as he handed his own ivory palm. "Gomenasai, I am saying my apologies so late. Wattashiwa Imonoyama Nokoru desu. And I think I know who you are." Nokoru said mischeviously, a crooked smile back on his lips when he felt the girl's hand shake his. "Wattashiwa Kotobuki Kira desu. And I don't know what you are talking about." The girl answered.

Kira clearly decided to play dumb. She couldn't possibly tell Nokoru that she was once his fiance, right? That would be just unbelievable and ridiculous. Also, she already chose to change her attitude towards everything, and when she meant _everything, _she did mean _everything. _"When you said 'I think I know you are,' I seriously don't get that, Imonoyama san. Because I clearly don't know who you are." Kira made another curious face as if she was trying her hardest not to roll her eyes, laughing. Nokoru wasn't pleased with the smug look she pulled on her face. "I saw you crying." Nokoru responded cooly and gently at the same time. "In the Tokyo tower, I wish I can help you in any sort of way, Kotobuki san." He added as he took a small step towards her in order to get rid of her smug look and make her fall on her knees at any moment. But, to his surprise, Kira didn't even flinch. Her amber eyes only showed deeper pride. "I still don't get what you are talking about. I never cry, and why would I need your help?" Kira retorted back sharply but not coldly. "Because Kotobuki san, it is my job to save damels in distress. And I can't possibly ignore you." Nokoru responded coolly. "Well, as you can see, _Imonoyama san_." Nokoru felt his legs wobble slightly when he heard the sarcasm Kira made when she said his name. "I am not in distress, and obviously not a damsel, so I'm not in your so called categories. I just guess you saw a different person," her gaze shifted back to her harp and Nokoru got the message that she didn't want to discuss this matter further. 'I will get the answer sooner or later anyway.' Nokoru thought as he decided to change the topic.

"Was that you, who was playing the harp?" Nokoru asked cautiously. He knew that this Kotobuki person was not a person who would easily come to him. "Yes," she answered simply and added. "You look disappointed. Did you expect it would be someone else?" Nokoru was started. 'Were my feelings that predictable?' "No, you are misunderstanding. I just wanted to say that I never heard a beautiful sound than that. I bet you are an expert." Nokoru peered at the rosewood harp which Kira was cradling gently in her arms. "Oh, I am no expert. I just liked playing it, so I practiced everyday that's all." Kira was very pleased indeed, and Nokoru sighed with relief when he felt the tension starting to ease. "I guess you are lost, sorry to be impolite, but what were you doing in my family's yard?" Nokoru asked as he pulled an innocent look on his face. "Come I'll show you the way." Nokoru expected Kira to hold his hand obediently and blush, but Nokoru's expectation shattered like glass when he saw this person's reaction. Kira chuckled with her palm halfway to her mouth, and Nokoru first thought she was mental. "Me? Lost? I think you misunderstood me, Imonoyama san. You are the one who is lost, not me. Plus, this is your yard? You live in that estate? Possibly, you can't be that rich. Don't try to fool me." Kira ended it with another sarcastic laugh and started to quiet down. The first thing Nokoru could do was just to stare with blank eyes. 'What kind of girl is this? Is she really mental? How can she not know what an Imonoyama electricity company is?'

"Um, Kotobuki san. Don't you watch television?" Nokoru prompted as politely as possible. "Yeah, why not?" Kira looked at her toes as if she was deliberately trying to avoid Nokoru's gaze. "Then, you should know the Imonoyama comapany, right?" Nokoru asked again like a father wheedling his child. Now, Kira stared up at the sky, her index finger tapping her under lip. "Yeah, I think I heard of it somewhere." Nokoru sighed silently and added. "Now do you get it?" Kira now seemed to take an interest in him. "Oh, you are one of them? Well it was pretty pathetic, man. Losing your way in your own backyard." Kira laughed again as if Nokoru was good entertainment, and walked swiftly away. Nokoru seemed as if he was losing control of his feelings. This girl is just too annoying. She didn't say anything bad about him like Midoriko did four years ago, but the thing most surprised Nokoru was that she didn't react in any sort of way to his charms. I mean, she should at least blush or try to be bitchy in order to get his attention, right? It seemed she had zero interest in him, except that she thought he was an animal from a zoo. Nokoru shook his head, and was again surprised that the girl disappeared. "Kotobuki san! Kotobuki san! Where are you?" Nokoru yelled. 'Why do I feel so desperate?' But, his desperation soon changed into annoyance when a familiar looking head popped out from one of the hedges.

"Coming, Imonoyama san? Wow, you must have been afraid a lot. You start yelling your head off the moment I take off. A weird, but pleasant entertainment. That desperate, huh." Kira jumped back to Nokoru as she cackled all over again. 'I was worried about you! Not me!' Nokoru felt dumbfounded. "Well, Imonoyama san. I think you don't have the right guts compared to your size. But, don't you worry. I know the way." Kira knew she was being mean, but what could she do? This was just so interesting! She stopped laughing abrubtly when she saw Nokoru's grim look and added more kindly. "Come, I'll take you back home." Nokoru felt himself going all red in the face because of her sudden kindness. 'Why can't I stay in my cool composure when she is around?' But, his face became even more puffed when he felt Kira's delicate palm yank him gently as she ran. "I guess you are good at running, Kotobuki san." Nokoru decided he should make some kind of conversation with Kira since it would be just weird if they run in an empty labyrinth holding hands! "How can you tell where are you going?" Nokoru prompted again as he tried to make a longer pace, but failed. His athletic abilities always failed him unless a damsel was in trouble, and obviously, this _damsel _wasn't in any sort of trouble. "See that." Kira answered as she nudged Nokoru slightly towards the edge of the passage.

Nokoru felt his face going red at the sudden action. There was a row of white pebbles on the right side of the hedge rows. "Looks like you mimicked Hansel, how smart." Nokoru replied with a smug smile on his face. 'She will never win over me, and I won't lose on any of her tricks either.' Kira was silent for a few minutes as if she was hurt from Nokoru's vexing reply. "Well, I am smarter than Hansel since I didn't trust an edible substance for life and death, and it does make me smart." Kira now skipped more slowly and looked at Nokoru as if she was waiting for some words to come out of his mouth. "How come?" Nokoru asked with zero curiosity. He also felt a feeling that she slowed down for him! Well, he wasn't going to show any weakness in front of a person so not serious, wait till he tell his parents. They won't be so pleased when there was a guest lost. I mean, Kira just can't be a daughter of his parents' freinds right? It's just so absurd. Wealthy and elegant couples won't let their children just wander on their own in an unfamilliar territory. Plus, this so called Kotobuki Kira person didn't have the right personality to be one of his batch. She was just so unrealistic. "It's proof that I learned from old stories. You should read your tales carefully, Imonoyama san. You don't know when and where to use it." Kira answered as she loosened the grip of Nokoru's palm. 'Am I crossing his line? I hope he is not too pissed off.' Kira made an apologetic look on her face as she carefully studied his face, but looked away quickly when she didn't get any answers.

'Well, he is an Imonoyama alright. He is just too hard to read, but somehow,' Kira made a small grin as she stared at the smaller hedges. They were almost there. "I think we are almost there. Well, I was pretty good at finding the right way, right?" Kira joked as she let go of Nokoru's hand and started to skip towards the estate. "Hey, where do you think you are going? Kotobuki san, where is your home? I can give you a ride. It would be very dangerous for you to walk by yourself in the night." Nokoru offered. After all, she might be lost and just trying to be proud. 'Maybe she will think better of me if I show generosity.' Nokoru wondered as he handed his palm again to Kira. 'Maybe, just maybe, she has a crush on me. I mean, she held my hand first, before I offered, right?' Nokoru smiled charmingly at Kira, but frowned when he saw Kira's expression stiffen unexpectedly. "Um, Kotobuki san? If you don't want a ride, maybe I can call your parents to pick you up." Nokoru offered again. 'I feel frighten. Why is she like this all of a sudden?'

'Parents, home.' Kira's head whirled with these two words. 'Why am I like this? It feels worse in his voice.' She now realized how much she felt empty and weary. Starvation and lack of energy because of running left her like a corpse. 'How weird. I felt so excellent in the labyrinth with Nokoru.' The shock Nokoru gave her seared a corner of her already damaged heart. 'I am dying. What should I do?' Kira's inner voice wailed in panic and despair. Her eyes turned into a reddish pair of pale holes from bright amber ones. 'Parents, home.' It rang in Kira's ripped soul and mind. Two things she desired and hungered for years and years. Was she being greedy? Should she be grateful to the Imonoyamas for bringing her in? They will treat her well, just like their own child, but..Will it be enough? Will it be complete? Will her wounds be cured? She didn't have a clue. The frustration made Kira's hands roll in to fists as she clutched the hem of her shirt with sudden anger of the world's unjustice. "Um, Kotobuki san? Are you alright? What's wrong?" Nokoru's annoyance from the maze was long forgotton and concern took its' place. He shook her gently, grabbing her weak shoulders. He also looked into her eyes for answers, but didn't receive any since her eyes were just blank as if she was focusing on something invisible. Her scarlet eyes didn't seem scary now, they looked pitiful. Then, Nokoru had a horrible feeling. He have seen this face somewhere before. When Suoh lost his memory of Nagisa four years ago, he have visited the hospital and saw people in the intensive care unit. Kira's expression was the same look the patients had in the ICU. 'She was okay a moment ago.' Nokoru thought desperately.

"Kira san?" A sudden motherly voice woke Kira from her horrid dream. 'Mother?' Kira whispered under her breath and looked around, her eyes bright with alert once more. Then, she caught the lithe shape of Rijichou and the Imonoyama zabitsu just a few metres away. "Rijichou! Imonoyama san!" Kira exclaimed with disappointment and relief as she ran towards them. At least she was free from her atrocious reverie, right? Well, at least for now. "Where have you been, Kira san? We were looking all over for you. What a good thing we found you." "Gomenasai." Kira murmured her apologies as she bowed respectfully at the couple. "I was just having a short walk at your garden. I really enjoyed walking around your labyrinth." Rijichou's cherry red lips formed a lush smile when she looked at Kira from Nokoru who's mouth was slightly hanging open. "Okaa-san? Do you know her?" Nokoru stammered. "Yes, I perfectly know Kira san. Didn't your Onee-sans tell you that we have a guest?" Rijichou replied and her husband nodded in approval. "Kira san, let's go inside. Here, put on my jacket. You must be very cold and Saku san, will you take Kira san's harp to her room, please?" Imonoyama zabitsu said as he handed Kira's harp to Saku. "Kotobuki san, tonight's dinner is made by the finest chefs in Asia so I bet you are hungry." "Oh, yes, Imonoyama san. I think I can eat all night." Kira said as she chattered happily and felt her pain ease. She glanced at Nokoru and blinked in thanks. Whether Nokoru saw it or not, she was shuffled into the warm and cozy estate.

Rijichou and Nokoru stood in silence for a few seconds after Kira went inside. "So, Nokoru san. What do you think about our new guest?" Rijichou prompted as she made a gentle smile. "I, I don't know what to think of her, Okaa-san. She is just, just." Nokoru tried to find the words. "Different?" Rijichou finished the sentence for him. "Well, yes. I mean, she is just dissimilar from people I met in school, in Japan." Nokoru exclaimed. 'Yes, she is weird and kind of annoying. But, somehow it feels I have known her for a long time.' Nokoru tried to untangle his complicated opinions about Kira. "Nokoru san, you should know that world isn't about everything we see. Sometimes we need skills to see through the prejudice in our community." Rijichou placed her pearly white hand on Nokoru's shoulders. Before Nokoru could reply to his mother's wise comment, she interrupted his thoughts. "Look how much you have grown Nokoru san. You are much taller than me now. I feel that my son has grown into a reliable young man. It feels like yesteday when we talked about your future at the clock tower.

"Of course, I remember Okaa san. I went on a scavenger hunt with Suoh and Akira to look for the hidden treasure, and yes, it was a wonderful treasure indeed." Nokoru responded as he felt his mother's warm hand on his damp cheeks. "It was a beautiful sunset which promised us a future. It is precious." Rijichou looked at her youngest son beneath her fan. "You've grown well, like a true Imonoyama. I am so proud of you and I hope yet again for you to grow into a fine adult." Nokoru just nodded as he closed his eyes and leaned closer to his mother. Unlike his older brothers and sisters, he was close and adored by his mother than any child. "So, I thought that she will be a good friend to you in the future and the present." Rijichou finished her speech and Nokoru suddenly blinked his eyes open and stared at his mother in a confused manner.

"Who do you mean, Okaa san?" Nokoru asked. "I meant Kotobuki Kira san." Nokoru's eyes went wide, and Rijichou added. "I know you will be like a dependable brother to her, since you are a gentlemen to all the ladies, young or old." Rijichou grinned. Nokoru's hands felt all rigid. "I told you. She is just so different." Rijichou's fan trembled a bit. "So you won't be nice to her?" Nokoru hated to see his mother disappointed. "No, it's not that. She is not easy to handle. I just feel all weird in front of her. I never seen a person like her. Even if I am nice to her, she won't like me." Rijichou stroked Nokoru's shoulders warmly. "Don't expect to win over her affection. Just be yourself, then everything will go okay." Rijichou walked gracefully towards the doors of the gigantic estate. "Nokoru san?" She asked when figured that he was still standing where he was. "Why should I be nice to her?" Nokoru knew he was being rude, but what could he do? Then, came Rijichou's sharp answer._"Because being nice is the only thing you can do for her."_

When Nokoru went into the dining room everyone was having a feast, and Kira was in the middle of the crowd. "Wow, Midori san. I love this brooch. Is this real ruby?" Kira asked happily and looked up from the jewel when she heard Nokoru coming in. "Hi Nokoru, do you like my present from Midori?" Kira asked friendly. 'She calls me by my first name and my sister's without the sama part. Yes, she also has the wrong guts compared to her size.' Nokoru thought to himself but didn't show it on his face. "Yes, it is lovely, Kotobuki san." Nokoru answered curtly as he sat down in his usual spot. "Please, call me Kira." Kira sensed the icy tone of his voice but her plan to play dumb wasn't going to fail easily. "Okay, then." Nokoru replied, uninterested. As he ate slowly, not showing how hungry he was unlike Kira who was eating quickly in quite a speed. Under the flashy lights of the dining hall, Nokoru could see Kira's appearance for certain. He could only see sillouette of her outside but now, it was different.

For the first thing, Nokoru could tell that she really stood out from the flashy looking Imonoyamas. His family was just perfect. Every inch of their body, flawless by having excellent skin and appearance. Kira's simple shirt with a light cardigan made her look less compared to his sister Midori who was sitting beside her. Nokoru's blue eyes moved to her face. She wasn't beautiful let alone elegant. Somehow she even looked indifferent compared to the girls in his fan club who always tried their best by looking flirty in front of him. Even though, she looked homely, humble, and simply dressed, she had the most handsome pair of eyes which now glowed like the ruby on her right hand. Her hair was chocolate brown that curled and flowed down to her waist, and Nokoru could tell how much she ate, she will stay in that petite size forever. Despite of her not so-good looking appearance, Nokoru just had to admit that she looked shockingly familiar. 'It seems that I already met her before the gliding trip, before the dream. Who is she to me?' Nokoru stared at Kira for couple of more minutes before he heard Aidoru and Shoji's snickering beside him.

"What?" Nokoru changed his interest on his brothers from Kira. "That interesting, huh?" Shoji said and snickered some more. "What are you talking about?" Nokoru asked even though he prefectly knew the answer. "Oi, Kira chan I think someone got a big crush on you!" Aidoru yelled at Kira and she obviously looked up. "Who?" Kira asked as if she already knew the answer, but didn't even glance at Nokoru. Nokoru seized his chance to clap both his hands on Aidoru's mouth which muffled some words that didn't mean any sense. "Shut up, Aidoru." Nokoru growled under his breath and let go of Aidoru. "Whoa, Nokoru. You are stronger than me now. I am so scared." Aidoru taunted Nokoru sarcastically with Shoji. Imonoyama zabitsu and Rijichou smiled broadly at their sons. Kira asked once more. "Who?" "Who ever it is, it's not me." Nokoru answered tautly. "I didn't expect it would be you. I also didn't ask you, I asked Aidoru san." Kira retorted back. "Looks like there is going to be a war going on as soon as we leave. I hate to go. We are all missing some fun speatacle and _entertainment_." Shinaka commented warmly as she stood up with Midori. "Leaving already?" Imonoyama zabitsu felt hurt of his daughters' departure.

"Yes, father. The emperor wants me in the castle immediately after supper and Midori needs to catch the dawn plane to Washington." Shinaka answered, her voice shaking a bit and Midori held her palm gently in her own. "Well, I am deeply sad to hear it. I will walk you to by the gate." Both mother and father stood up from the table. "I'll go too!" Kira stood up also and opened the dining hall doors before any of the servants opened it. Nokoru sighed as he stood up. 'Why is she keep meddling with my family's buisness?' But his frustration soon was forgotton by the soothing voice of his mother. 'Being nice is the only thing you can do for her.' Rijichou's voice was still ringing in his ears. Then, Nokoru noticed that Kira was still holding the door for him. "Um, gomenasai." Nokoru murmured his apologies as he shuffled out the door. "You don't have to be polite. We are in the same age anyway." Kira said as she walked ahead of Nokoru, humming slightly.

"You are six-teen? I thought you are still in middle school!" Nokoru was indeed shocked.

"Uh, huh." Kira mumbled as she heaved the last double doors open and shivered from the chilly air. "What? Are you surprised?"

Nokoru looked at the limo that drove his sisters away, he will miss them, a lot, then looked at Kira. "I guess you are too tall to be in middle school." Nokoru suggested.

Kira crossed her arms across her chest and stared at the rest of the Imonoyamas waving at Shinaka and Midori.

"I will miss them a lot. When will I see them again?" Nokoru said to himself. "At least you will see them someday." Kira replied. "Huh?" Nokoru looked at Kira once more. "I mean, this is not good-bye forever. They are not leaving for the rest of their lives." Kira answered simply. "Don't speak carelessly." Nokoru's expression turned grim. "You are lucky to be raised in a normal family." Nokoru retorted. 'She doesn't no anything about the way I lived! She is just like the girls who only sees my appearance. Inside is what it counts.' He wondered and expected Kira to make a sharp retort again, but she just remained silent and waved at the limousine.

Kira could feel Nokoru's gaze on her. 'A normal family, huh.' She didn't even care her hair whipping carelessly in the strong Feburary wind, and looked back at Nokoru.

"You know nothing." Kira replied curtly and walked swiftly away into the estate, slightly brushing past Nokoru.

Nokoru was astonished. 'How dare she. Why can't she understand? Doesn't she get how hard it is to live up to an Imonoyama's expectations. By the looks of it, she must have been raised by a normal mother, father, and siblings. A father who will always greet her with welcoming arms and playful games, tired from work but always cheerful and positive in front of his children. A mother who will be proud of her school grades, always plenty of hugs and kisses, and most importantly a mother, not just a chairman who always cover her face from her own son! A brother who will always stay by her side and protect her from bullies at school, playing soccer and basketball with her, and bossing her over. A sister who will fight over better dresses or accesories, but loving and charming, hanging out and standing up for her wherever she is. A family. She must have something I will never have, and she isn't grateful?' Nokoru never disliked or disagreed with a female before, but her! She was just so wrong about everything! Why does she have to be stubborn? His father always cared about the company and the buisness, he also cared only about Aidoru, his precious heir of the Imonoyama group. His mother always thought it was just so natural for her youngest son to be perfect in everything, and always concern about other students in the campus, never glancing at him during work. His brothers always busy for work around the company, never making time to hang out with him. Aidoru who could be funny, but never actually tried to be close to Nokoru, always busy being the heir of the great Imonoyama group. Shoji who was the serious one, usually talking about company and buisness in front of him, and never tried to be a friend to Nokoru. His sisters Shinaka and Midori who went to school with him, usually ignored him.

'Why are they being nice to Kira? She is not even in out family. She is not even related to us!' Nokoru felt pure jealousy and envy towards Kira. 'All of my family just came to dinner because of her. I am more important than her, why can't they pay more attention to me?' He long forgot Rijichou's plea._ 'Being nice is the only thing you can do for her.' _'Why would I be nice to her? No need.' Nokoru glanced at his parents once more. _'I am your child! Not her!'_

Kira noticed the cold stare which Nokoru gave her as she worked her way through the stairs to her new room. 'He won't understand.' She already decided not to tell Nokoru who she was, and that she was an orphan, well not just yet. 'He will soon engage with a better person, and I will soon be a grown-up, then I won't see him anymore.' She wondered as she gripped at her locket more tightly, and whipped her head around to see Nokoru. From the back, he looked strangely lonely. 'I'm sorry, but I would rather be in a distance than come close to you and cause more trouble.' She couldn't feel the night's chill from the top of the stairs, but somehow her shoulders felt damp and she could feel a chill going down her spine.

'Click'. Kira opened her locket with her forefinger. The picture of her family and her younger self shone under the bright light, and the empty side...

She closed it and hid under her shirt. _'Love may not be a sin, but..'_ She looked behind her again. _'It's painful.'_


	5. Arrival with Secrets

**Solitude.**

**People...**

**They say 'love' is the peaceful time in one's life.**

**They say 'farewell' is the sorrowful time in one's life.**

**Solitude can be a blissful place, for a while...**

**But, too painful to abide since I know 'solitude' better than anyone.**

**

* * *

  
**

A bamboo blind was draped between the girl and the woman. The place was dark with no electricity, away from the bright lights of the mansion. Few candles were lit as they shone the shadows of the two lithe bodies which were confronting each other. "I hope this will be a secret between the two of us, Rijichou. After I graduate, I wish I can be a different person from now on. I want to start again, leaving my past behind." The cheerful grin from yesterday's commotion was faded from the wavy candle lights. A serious and a pained pair of eyes stared at the blind that was parting herself and Rijichou.

"That is very surprising, Kira san. I thought you loved my son." The cherry red lips of Rijichou were curved into a mysterious smile which could be only produced by an Imonoyama. "Love can change, and I am not a little kid anymore. I know what my limitations are, but I wish I can look like any ordinary person reflected in his eyes. I," the younger woman's lips felt raw and added. "I do not wish to block and ruin his future becuase of my greed." Kira's smooth forelock covered up her eyes. "Due from yesterday's dinner, I expect that you are a professional in concealing emotions. Just like us, Imonoyamas." Rijichou smiled slowly beneath her elegant fan. Kira's body trembled. 'I am scared, and this woman can feel it. Yet, I cannot show it.' "I will never be a professional as you are in that subject, Rijichou."

The women's fan shook slightly as she chuckled her usual calm laughter. "You make me relieved, Kira san. Are you sure you are not going to tell the truth?" Rijichou prompted. "I will keep my past from now on. I indeed know well that I don't have any right to desire him. I am moving on." Kotobuki Kira replied curtly and walked out of the dim light of Rijichou's guest room. The woman in the kimono sipped her tea slowly as she watched Kira backing away towards the curtains that were draped on Rijichou's door. 'Things are going to go very interesting from now on. I am glad that I took her in.' Rijichou thought as she laid her head to the back of her chair and watched at the screen next to the tea table. It showed Nokoru saying a farewell to Aidoru, Shoji, and to her husband, and a girl with windblown brown hair who was skipping eagerly towards the leaving limousine was saying good-bye as well. 'I should step aside and let my dear son act what he can. I cannot afford anyone to get hurt. Imonoyama or not.''

* * *

Kira was back to reality, in her now so-called bedroom. Her head in a mountain of fluffy pillows, she looked up at the ceiling. The mural that was drawn carefully on the ceiling showed a picture of Physche and Cupid. The wonderful butterfly wings that were spread across the magnificent ceiling made Kira feel small and powerless. 'Looks like it is drawn by Michelanjelo. Physche and Cupid. Human and the Love God. Mortal and Immortal.' Kira thought as she propped herself up from her four-poster bed and shoved the curtains draping the bed. She have ran in quite a speed to the front doors to see the Imonoyamas departing. Nokoru has been quite frustrated when she pushed him in order to run faster towards the deaprting limousine. Kira made a crooked smile in front of a full-sized mirror and glanced at her bronze alarm clock. It said 6:30. She needed to get down quickly. In a rush, Kira looked at herself once more in her new CLAMP school uniform which was reflecting on the magnificent full-size mirror.

'I look like a totally different person.' Kira wondered as she tightened the white bow of her uniform. The black velvet skirt was longer than the skirts she used to wear. The hem of the skirt flowed down past her knees and this uniform was just _too girly. _Kira sighed. Now, she had to wear this _too luxurious_ uniform to school every day. She hummed a soft tune of her favorite song as she packed her harp in her matching school briefcase. 'I miss my last school, why is this school so fancy?' "Kotobuki san, the limousine is waiting." A high-pitched voice of a maid rang her ear-drums. "Coming!" Kira yelled back and clutched her bag in one hand and held Memory on the other. "Sorry, but you can't come with me to school, but I'll tell you all about it when I come back. You'll wait for me, ne?" Kira mumured into the doll's ear as she kissed its' forehead and put it down gently back on her bed. Kira tried to run back to the doors of her room, but tripped. 'Damn it. It is these darn school shoes again.' The heels of the polished black shoes which were part of her uniform have been hurting Kira's feet since this morning. Kira took her shoes off and held it with her bookbag. 'Curse you, dumb shoes. Why can't I just wear my converse?' Kira grumbled as she slipped and slided on the corridors in her sock feet.

"Good morning, everyone." She bowed down a bit to the butlers and maids who were busily working and cleaning around the corridors. "Good morning, Kotobuki san." They replied as they tried to muffle their laughter from the way Kira slipped and slided on the polished floor. Kira was happy. She made people laugh. Yes, she should move on. She could go on with her life perfectly well, just like she've done back in Denmark. She should move on from grief and despair. Hendrickson san may not be here with her, but there would be a lot of people who would support her. The laughter of the maids and butlers made Kira's hope rise. 'It's a new start. I can be cheerful and silly as always. She can go on without Nokoru. He will soon be erased from her life. Kira giggled to herself as she half stumbled, half ran down the staircase to the grand double doors where Nokoru was already prepared to leave.

"Well, I hope everything is ready for the new documents folder or else Suoh will be really disappointed. And the plan for a new design in the Gamera Hall should be done quickly also. Yes, Akira, I know. Your portfolio should be finished by now, and I need to plan another ceremony for this week. Yes, see you at the office. Bye." Nokoru talked in his usual cheery voice through his cell, and flipped it shut when he heard a loud 'thump' beside him. Nokoru stood there quite puzzled as he saw a scraggly brown haired girl lying flat on the floor with her face looking up. "Ohayo, Nokoru." Kira mumbled through a mouthful of her hair as she tried to get up, but failed because of the slick surface. "What happened, Kotobuki san? And why aren't you wearing your shoes. Our maids had a hard time polishing your shoes and the floor." Nokoru responded to Kira's clumsy greeting with a warm but sharp voice. Well, he was a feminist, wasn't he? Nokoru sighed quietly as he held out his hand to Kira, and he wasn't surprised when she didn't take his hand. Kira managed to get up on her feet using her hands for balancing.

"Look, these shoes are retarded. No offence. Why can't I wear my sneakers?" Kira complained and she could hear Nokoru's soft groan. "Kotobuki san, you should wear these shoes. Those shoes are a part of your school uniform." Nokoru gazed at Kira who was struggling to put her black shoes on her feet and shook his head once or twice when he saw Kira hopping towards the entrance, half running and half stumbling. When Nokoru clicked and clacked down the marble staircase of the entrance, answering to the 'good-byes' and 'have a good day' from the maids and butlers, he could see Kira already running to the streets. "Wait, Kotobuki san! Aren't you going to take a ride? You don't even know the way!" Nokoru tried to get Kira back to the estate, but it was no use, instead he got an answer. "Just go. I know the way." The small sillouhette of Kira made a wave as if she was telling him not to worry and disappeared. Nokoru just stood there beside his white limousine, startled by her sudden abscence. "Um, Nokoru sama. Should we go?" Saku asked uneasily as he looked back and forth at Nokoru and the place where Kira vanished. "Yes, let's go." Nokoru answered after some time. 'I waited for her for at least,' Nokoru glanced at his new golden watch. '20 minutes!'

During the ride, Nokoru peered outside the car windows at least thirty times and stuck his head outside for five times until Saku told him off. 'Why can't I see her.' He knew he had perfect eyesight, but somehow the roads and streets to CLAMP campus didn't show any existence of Kotobuki Kira. 'Where is she?' The drive path Saku used was the shortest way to the campus. 'Is she lost?' Nokoru could feel panic rising in his heart and his stomach lurched as if he was sick. "Are you feeling unwell, Nokoru sama? Should we stop a bit?" Saku asked from the driver's seat. "No." Nokoru responded, not looking at Saku. He wanted to hide his worry about Kira. 'Why am I worried about her? It's none of my buisness if she gets lost. She shouldn't have walked off like that in the first place. She should have listened to me!' Nokoru tried to sit straight in his seat as he looked away from the side window. 'It's not my fault if she gets lost. It is not my fault. Not my fault.' Nokoru murmured to himself over and over again until he arrived to his classroom. But somehow, it only made him worse.

* * *

Kira hummed happily as she strolled down the path of early cherry blossoms. March was around the corner now. Spring was here. A new start for the plants and animals. And for herself. The tune of the song she sang last night seemed to blow optimism to her. She could still remember this path from her memory. Even though she had no map, she memorized this lane by heart, since it was full of early events of her childhood. The early flowers of Spring flourished the wild garden, and Kira picked a dandelion from the group. She blew it gently as she enjoyed watching a group of white dandelion seeds flying in the air. 'Yes, fly, fly away. To freedom.' She murmured under her breath as she now half ran towards the CLAMP clock tower which rang seven times. 'Gosh, I need to hurry before Nokoru notices. I already crossed his line, but, oh well. What can I do. I am just trying to be myself again.' Kira smiled to herself of the fact that Nokoru will never know there was a peaceful and a quiet lane which lead straight to the academy. They used to walk here when they were young, and there would be a broad flower garden up ahead. This place was not even on the map, and it was a forest behind the Imonoyama mall.

She loved and admired wild flowers, and she was once amazed by the beauty of the garden. 'It didn't change a bit. It was just as I left it.' Kira ran slowly as she breathed in the familiar scent once more. 'I hope I can be more like these flowers. They grow without the help of a human. They care and cope themselves and survive the harsh winter by themselves.' The aroma dazed Kira's thoughts as she remembered what Hendrickson talked about when he compared and a pansy flower. 'Do I resemble a wild flower, growing by its' own? Come to think of it, I smelled wild flowers back at the Imonoyama estate. Don't they prefer roses?' Kira soon dismissed the question as she hopped childishly in her clicky new school shoes down the hill.

* * *

Nokoru was worried sick. It was seven-twenty five and Kira wasn't in the classroom. Plus, Yagari sensei will come any minute. He was glad that at least Suoh and Akira didn't come up about his uneasiness back at the office, and he was also glad that none of the girls crowded around his desk could sense his tiredness and weariness. Seven twenty-six, seven twenty-seven. Nokoru was sure that Kira was in most of his classes except for one or two, and the first lesson for today was History. Something chilled Nokoru's spine. 'What if she is kidnapped, or worse, got hit by a car!' Nokoru imagined a limp, fragil body of Kira lying in a pool of crimson blood, slowly dying. 'No!' Nokoru suddenly stood up, surprising a few of the girls who were crowded around his desk. "Wha, what's the matter, Nokoru sama?" A girl who was explaining about her new hair ribbon jumped up in surprise. "I am sorry if I scared you ladies, but I need to hurry I.." Nokoru was lost for words when he saw the sunny face of Yagari sensei coming in through the door. "Ohayo class, please sit on your seats since we have a new student joining us for our history lesson. Um, where is she Imonoyama san?" The teacher questioned Nokoru like he usually did when a new student was joining in. Nokoru glanced helplessly at the clock. Twenty-eight, twenty-nine. The morning announcement bell would ring at exactly seven-thirty! 'Where are you?' Nokoru thought desperately, one leg awakwardly stuck out towards the door.

Just when Nokoru thought he would run out of the classroom in search of the missing student, a window next to his desk opened loudly and Kotobuki Kira jumped in to the classroom, her face all flushed from running. And the bell rang. "Safe!" Kira almost yelled out the words as she half limped and half stumbled towards the teacher's desk. "I'm not late, right?" Kira asked all bleary eyed. She looked up at the wide eyed sensei, hoping for a merciful answer. "Yes, you are not late. Actually you are just right on time." Yagari answered when he finally overcomed the shock he received by the newcomer. "I think your name is 'Kotobuki Kira' ne? I got an early call from Rijichou and I expected you to be here, oh well." Kira smiled as she nodded her head once or twice, she thought she was very fortunate to have such a generous teacher, and made an apologetic grin to Nokoru. But, the grin was never returned. She could only see the disbelieving stare he gave to her. Even though his troubled expression soon disappeared from her view, Kira felt as if she have gone too far with Nokoru's nerves.

"Well, class. As you can see this young lady would study with us until the end of the term. She's been living in Denmark since she was very young, so she may not understand how things work around our campus. I expect everyone of you to help her. And Kotobuki san from now on, do not come in through the window please. It is dangerous and unsafe. It's a school rule." Yagari explained carefully to Kira who seemed to get over the dizziness from too much running. 'I am out of oxygen.' Kira desperately wanted to sit down to the empty spot in front of Nokoru, but sighed when the teacher said, "any questions to our new friend?" Quite a lot of students raised their hands into the air unexpectedly. 'Damn it. Can't they see how tired I am?' Kira gumbled as she made a crooked smile at her classmates she practiced so hard back at the estate.

"What is your talent and specialty which lead you to attend this school?" A squat, nerdy looking boy asked politely, but Kira could tell that he was trying her luck. "I am a harpist and a vocalist." Kira answered shortly after the question ended. The boy looked disgruntled and stuck his nose in to his textbook. "Who are your parents? Are they musicians like you are?" A girl with a tan skin asked in a naive manner. Kira paused for a while and replied. "They are both away. My father was a buisness man, and my mother was a soroptimist." "Then where do you live, the dormitores perhaps?" A blonde girl who was sitting next to Nokoru suddenly took an interest on her. 'Why are they asking this? Am I that interesting?' Kira knew she couldn't escape this question and she perfectly knew what kind of reaction the answer would bring.

"No, my residence is not the dormitories, in fact," Kira paused for a bit and finished. "I live at Rijichou's mansion." Kira concluded. She never knew her simple answer, a few words will bring such an uproar. In a blink of an eye, Kira could sense that something was very wrong indeed. A bunch of girls were crowded around her, and a few of the boys stood up too. Very few people were on their seats which including the tan girl who was just looking at her innocently, and the blonde girl who was all wide-eyed as if she would faint.

"Nani, nani! You are under the same roof with Nokoru sama?" A green haired girl asked hastily. There were some girls crying! 'Please tell me this is not happening, oh my god.' Kira looked up at the blank ceiling as more and more girls pushed her towards the wall. Then from the corner of her eye, she could see some attractive looking girls crowding on to Nokoru, questioning him. 'I have to do something. Fast. Think of an excuse. Think. Think.' Kira's brain buzzed as she closed both of her eyes tight. 'Why couldn't I think of an excuse? Bakka!'

While Kira was thinking desperately for an excuse, another person was in an emergency. His brain buzzed with confusion and desperation. "Ladies, please." Nokoru forced a smile beneath his fan as he looked at Kyogoku Midoriko, who was in this case, looked like she was totally heartbroken. Nokoru gave an angelic, cyan look to the three girls who were crowded around his desk, which included Midoriko. "Is she your , your," A red haired chick mumbled out the words, her face making a beautiful grimace. "Wait, I thought you never dated anyone. Is she your fiance?" Midoriko pushed the red-haired girl aside and pulled herself closer to Nokoru. "We are your fan-club members, Nokoru sama. We should know what is going on." Another blonde girl with straight hair pushed Midoriko and almost yelled out the words as she pointed her index finger to Kira. Nokoru flipped open his fan and covered half of his face as he looked at three disappointed girls. Especially Midoriko. She was his fan-club president, and club leader.

"Ladies, she is not my fiance. She is just a student who is taken in by Rijichou. Trust me, and I am truly sorry of disappointing you. Will you please forgive my carelessess?" Nokoru bowed down respectfully to the three damsels. "We are not disappointed in you, Nokoru sama. We are mad at her. This is unfair. How come she gets to live with you?" Midoriko's sharp question seared Nokoru's heart. 'Yes, why would she live with me and my mother? This has to be justified. What rights does she have to live in the estate.' An injustified inquiry appeared into Nokoru's head. 'Why is she living with me?' Suddenly, this thought faded away from his mind when Yagari's voice rang out into the classroom.

"Be quiet, class. Go back to your spots right now. I am serious, ladies and gentlemen. It is very rude and shameful to a new student." Yagari said hotly and the students, mostly ladies went back to their seats reluctantly. "Kira san, you may go to your seat now." Yagari motioned to the empty space beside the tan girl. "Wait, I have something to make clear. I seriously do not like your personal celebrity. I am not interested in blondies or geeks." Kira snapped and strolled to her seat. "Nokoru sama is not a geek!" Midoriko stood up from her seat. "I never said he is one. But don't we call someone who has zero athletic abilities and teacher's pets a geek? In Denmark they do." Kira replied cooly, but inside, she regretted what she said. 'This blab mouth. Why can't you just shut up?' Kira could feel sweat on her face as she confronted a group of girls' hot glares. 'I need to think of something quick.' Kira wondered desperately as she glanced at Nokoru who was just watching the scene like a tv show. "Wait, what rights do you have to humiliate Nokoru sama in front of his classmates?" Midoriko used her sharp tongue in debate class on Kira.

Nokoru felt hot in the face. 'Is she deriding me? What did I do wrong? I expect an apology from her later on.' Deeply irritated and annoyed, Nokoru opened his fan and covered his tremulous lips. He could feel anguish bubbling inside him as he fanned himself uncontrollably. He always treated every female with respect and courtesy they deserve, but he got a feeling that he won't be able to treat her like other females. The voice or his mother rang in his ears. 'Being nice is the only thing you can do for her.' The pair of clear blue eyes slowly turned into two chips or cold ice. Kira seemed to sense the coldness since her lips suddenlt felt raw.

Kira was suddenly speechless as she tried to sit down, but failed. Then the last alternative popped in her head. " Because, I am his cousin!" Kira almost shouted out the words, and looked around carefully. All of the girls seemed relieved, even Kyogoku Midoriko seemed to have relaxed. The only person surprised in the room was Nokoru. He just sat there enjoying Kira's helplessness and there he was, dropping his fan. "Then why didn't you say so, earlier, Kotobuki san?" Midoriko's voice was calm in an abrupt manner. Nokoru opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. He was afraid to deny it, and what would happen if he told everyone that she was lying? Nokoru's whole body felt it was paralyzed, his mind going blank. Slowly, he held Kira's gaze in his. Somehow, he could communicate with her without words.

_'Why did you lie?'_

_'I didn't have any choice have I? Don't you dare deny it.'_

Her message was clear. Kira's panicked orange amber turned into pleading scarlet. Nokoru shook his head from side to side. 'I guess I need to stand on her side, for now. I have no choice either do I?' Kira motioned Nokoru for coexistence as he reluctantly stood up to face his fellow classmates. "Um, Kotobuki san is right. I apologize to ladies, especially. She is a far cousin of mine, and Rijichou decided to take her in for a while since she has some issues." Nokoru mumbled out the last words without confidence. Nokoru's stomach lurched as he sat back down again. He hated to lie to ladies. He made an invisible, angry gaze to the back of Kira's head. 'I am only doing this for Rijichou. I am only worrying about you only because of Rijichou.' Nokoru couldn't pay much attention to Yagari sensei or other teachers as he just stared at the back of Kira's head. Finally lunch break came, all he wanted was to be with his two best freinds.

"Okay, class. The homework is a summary about Doyotomi Hideyoshi and what effect did he cause to medieval Japan, math textbook page 102 through 105, and a written lab about the digestive system. Yes, you are dismissed." A group of girls flocked around Kira and the tan girl with eagerness. "Sorry, about that earlier, Kira chan. Can I call you by your first name?" The green haired girl budged around other girls and held Kira's hand. "Wattashiwa Akane desu." "Wattashiwa Sorie desu." And on and on and on. Kira sighed a breath of relief when the interviews of 'what color do Nokoru sama like', 'what food do Nokoru sama enjoy', or 'what type of girl does he love.' How much the girls' informed their names, Kira couldn't remember all of them. Except for Kyogoku Midoriko though. The tall blonde was the one who reduced the flock of girls away from Kira, and she was once very grateful towards Midoriko. 'Come to think of it, Midoriko was always with Nokoru. She wasn't one of the girls who crowded beside her desk. Well, she obviously has a big crush on Nokoru and she will never forgive me for humiliating him, but what could I do? I tried so hard to confirm that I do not like Imonoyama Nokoru.' The cries of admiration outside at the hallway became louder and louder as girls from other girls blocked Nokoru's way. Kira could hear Midoriko's voice loudest of them all trying to make way for Nokoru.

"Anou, Ki, Kira san?" Kira whipped her head around and sensed that she and the tan girl beside her were the only people in the suddenly hollow looking classroom. "Ah, go, gomen. I was blocking your way." Kira aplogized hastily. "No, it's okay. You were very patient with those girls." The girl complimented. Kira realized that this girl was the only female in the class who stayed calm and quiet during the whole lesson and when she said that she lived with Nokoru. "My name is Anita by the way." Anita said. "Nice to meet you, Anita chan. Thanks for staying so calm. I thought I was going to faint by those questions." Kira giggled slightly and stood up. Something fell from her book bag. "What is that?" Anita asked curiously and Kira picked it up.

* * *

"Kaichou! Kaichou!" Suoh and Akira was half running in the crowded corridors. "Suoh, Akira!" Nokoru called above the chatters of fellow female classmates, who cheered more aggresively by Suoh and Akria's prescence. 'They are more energetic today.' Nokoru wondered as he finally met up with his two best friends. The three young men ran as hard as they could to their cozy council office.

Bam! There was their soft, comforting, and private room for a nice, previous break. "Whoa, I just feel so energetic by those ladies, they make me lively everyday!" Nokoru exclaimed as he sat on the sofa with a thump, fanning himself. "They seem more excited today because of the news of your cousin, Kaichou!" Akira smiled his innocent smile as he brought out the delicious dishes of Deriyaki, salad, appetizers, and california rolls. "News travel fast, huh." Nokoru chuckled warmly as he picked up some california rolls on his plate. "Um, Kaichou? What kind of a person is she?" Akira asked as he poured some tea to Suoh. "For the truth, I don't really know much about this woman. Everytime a student transfer into our campus, we have to observe each profile and history of them, but for Kotobuki san, none of the documents about her came to me. That is impossible unless Rijichou herself chooses not to submit the documents and the student's ID card from us." Nokoru responded simply as he looked at Suoh from Akira. "Then did you asked the directress about it, Kaichou? Because she can't be a student in CLAMP campus if she doesn't submit her profile papers to us, the High school district council." Suoh looked serious.

"Yes, that is true. But I already decided not to question Rijichou about this matter further. She must have a purpose. There must be a reason why Rjichou is trying to hide Kotobuki san's information from us. Suoh, Akira you will meet Kotobuki san sooner or later. In fact, I have put a lunch invitation on her book bag before I left, she should show up anytime now. Anyway, I do not wish to trouble her with complicating questions." Nokoru sipped his tea and shifted his cyan eyes to Akira from Suoh. "Anou Kaichou when you said 'I do not wish to trouble her with complicating questions', who did you mean? The directress or Kotobuki san?" Akira asked curiously.

"Of course it is Ri.." Nokoru's voice was suddenly interrupted by a small knock which was barely heard on the council doors. "Um, may I come in?" The sing-song voice of Kira came from the council doors. "I will get the door." Nokoru stood up gracefully and opened the double doors, and he saw another unexpected scene before his eyes. Suoh and Akira came along and peeked behind Nokoru who was still grasping the handles of the door. All of them didn't know what to do.

Kotobuki Kira's long brown hair was half covered in branches and she looked as if she was in a bush for a quite a bit of time. She was also crouched down as if she was hiding from somebody _or somebodies_. "Please come in, Kotobuki san." Nokoru stepped aside to let Kira pass. She duck-walked to the council room and slowly stood up. "Sorry, if I am late. I tried to come early, but I had to get away from your fangirls first. Whoa, they were everywhere, asking me questions about you. You must be really, really popular. I need to apologize to Kyogoku san though. I took refuge in one of her lavender bushes when these group of older girls were stampeding towards me. Unlucky me, Kyogoku san saw me jumping into the lavender bushes, and I kind of just ran off." Kira murmured uneasily as she looked at her toes. 'No, unlucky Midoriko san. She cared for those lavenders since she was in elementary school.' Nokoru thought of the day he ran around the campus in search of those lavender bushes and grinned.

"It's alright. Please sit down." Nokoru motioned a seat for Kira. "I will introduce my fellow members of the council. This is Takamura Suoh. He is the high school council secretary, and my personal body-guard. This is Iiyujin Akira. He is the high school council treasurer, and of course you can see, a brain-act in cooking." Nokoru said proudly. Suoh and Akira bowed at the mention of their names since both of them were taught by Nokoru to respect every ladies they met. Kira just sat there for a moment and made a broad smile on her face. "Nice to meet you guys. My name is Kotobuki Kira." Kira shook Suoh and Akira's hands. The two young men smiled back, their charming smiles. Nokoru suddenly felt a rush of pity for Midoriko and the other girls in the campus. 'This is unjust for them. I only invited her for lunch because she has Okaa-san's support, right?'

"You must like carrots, Kotobuki san." Akria made an angelic smile on his face when he saw Kira eating clumps of carrots from the salad. "Oh, yes. They are my favorite. You are a fabulous cook, Iiyujin san. I don't think I'll ever beat you in cooking, not even for my recipies for carrot dishes. I was only good at making something edible with carrots." Kira smiled back at Akira. 'No wonder her eyes are red like a rabbit's.' Nokoru wondered silently. "I thought you didn't like carrots." Nokoru suddenly budged into the conversation. Kira averted her eyes to Nokoru. "How did you know that I didn't like carrots?" Kira asked. 'Yes how did I know?' Nokoru was speechless. 'Why did I say that?' While Nokoru was searching for answers, Kira couldn't help herself from thinking about what was going on in Nokoru's head. 'Did he just remember without intention?'

"Is it true that you made the detective agency by saving an old widow from distress, Nokoru? At the age of twelve?" Kira's excited amber eyes fell on Nokoru, trying to change the conversation. 'I might as well tell her like a gentleman.' Nokoru snapped open his fan and looked away from Kira. "Yes, it is true. Did Suoh and Akira tell you?" He asked casually. "Of course, who would? In the last few minutes, I can tell that they are very loyal to you. You are lucky to have such dependable friends." Kira replied cooly. "Well, that is true. The idea of the detective agency to help damsels in distress came from our meager help to a gentle, lady." Kira looked very interested. "So, what kind of trouble was the lady in?" Nokoru's eyes met Kira's and turned his torso towards her. She was really in to this story, the unsensible carrot part of the conversation faded away. "She was in a problem with her brother-in-law. When her husband disappeared ten years ago, her husband's brother kept harassing her to give him the property of the estate near the Tokyo tower. The estate belonged to her husband's father, but with her husband gone, she was just a mere stranger to the man." Kira urged Nokoru on. "Uhuh, so why did that guy want to drive out the poor, old lady?" Nokoru went on with the story. "The husband's brother was a realtor and he was in a bad state of buisness. He was trying to sell off the lady's property to pay off his budget deficit."

"People does get degenerated and selfish when it comes to money. So, what did you do to him?" Kira interrupted, and Nokoru was surprised by the sudden indifference. "Well, as you can see Kotobuki san. That man couldn't steal her estate at the end. I just couldn't let him. Those who harass gentle ladies need to get the pusnishment they rightfully deserve." Nokoru's speech cut short when he saw Kira's pained face.

Then the room was hung with a dead silence. Nokoru looked at Suoh and Akira. All of them looked at Kira. _'Why is she quiet all of a sudden. Why is she making that blank look again?' _Suoh and Akira sipped their tea calmly, avoiding the tension between Kira and Nokoru. Kira tried her best not to meet Nokoru's gaze. She knew perfectly well that Imonoyamas could see one's mind so clearly if they really tried. 'The man in his story reminds of my father. So, Nokoru punished him. An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' Her father of course didn't harass anyone when his buisness went low because of her mother's illness, but from that day on, he lost his smile, and also became crazy. 'Nokoru will never understand how money can abuse and ruin a person's life. It did to me.'

'What's wrong with her? She is pleasant, yet irritating. Easy-going, yet secretive. Cheerful, yet can change into a gloomy person in a split second? What troubles her so much?' Nokoru's opinion about her slowly changed. She intrigued him. The annoyance changing into bursting curiosity. "Well, thanks for your sharing Nokoru, I'll be going now." Kira said in an over- and stood up. Suoh and Akira were both startled by the sudden reaction. "But, why Kira san? Nagisa san and president Ohkawa will come soon to see you. Can't you wait for them? Besides, you hardly even eat anytihing yet. We have at least 30 minutes for lunch break." Suoh said calmly when he saw Nokoru speechless. "No, I need to go. Have a nice day boys." Kira hurriedly went to the door, her locket dangling from her neck, freed from her blouse.

Bang.

"Did we do something to upset her? Why would she leave?" Akira said worriedly at Nokoru, trying to find some answers. Nokoru slowly smiled up at his companions. "She must have a quick errand with the Directress. Don't worry. She is not upset, I can tell." Nokoru said comfortingly. Although he spoke in an eccentric manner, the blonde chairman's heart didn't seem to be so sure of his expression, and Suoh and Akira weren't fools.

"Kaichou, I think she left when you said about the story of our accomplishment." Suoh's golden eyes glinted and Akria nodded his head. "Yes, I agree with Takamura senpai." Nokoru slowly looked up at them. "Hmmm. You guys are right. We need to do some investigations about her, immediately. She seemed to be in distress just before she left. Another mission for the Clamp school detectives!"


	6. Unforgivable Facts

_I saw you laugh and smile._

_You were happy._

_But I couldn't laugh or smile with you._

_The only thing I could do was to hover as your face, your image flow through to my heart._

_So, instead of being happy, I wept._

_Like this..._

_I always look at you one step behind._

* * *

Suoh looked out the window. There was only groups of girls and boys here and there, enjoying the warm spring sun. "He is nowhere in sight." He muttered under his breath. His overly affable chairman's head was already full and avid with the new mission. 'Finding out the truth about his mysterious cousin.' He sighed and put his fingers gingerly on to his temple. The door bursted open brusquely. "I couldn't find him! He wasn't at the clock tower, his classrooms, or the Direstress's office." Akira's adorable face was all huffy and puffy of running and his hair was handsomely windblown.

"Oh well, he has to come quick, look at this amount of paperwork, Iiyujin!" Suoh gave another exasperated sigh. "He would come back sooner or later wouldn't he?" Akira evoked another phrase which he always said to comfort the troubled mind of Suoh. Akira's worried eyes gave away as a resilient smile pervaded on his lips. "Well, I guess so, Akira. If he comes back, he must expect some turbulence." Suoh said scornfully yet he couldn't hide the amusement in his tone. "Let's just think that we are having a nice break. Tea time, Iiyujin!" Suoh concluded his gruesome worries and searches in a frank manner. But, in a corner of his mind an unanswered question still lingered. '_What haunts his mind so much? His abstruse cousin? Perhaps.'_

* * *

The lake of the Clamp campus was wide and interminable as always, and the young, beautiful youth standing beside it made the scenery magnificent than ever. His face was slightly covered up by his handsomely overgrown bangs as the calm breeze fluttered some blossom petals with it. The greenery forest stretched out from the lake stimulated his curiosity. 'I wonder what will be behind those forests.' He wanted to have a short alone time, away from his two companions in order to untangle his complicated feelings.

He looked up at the deep, blue sky which held some fluffy, white cloulds here and there. "Howcome, this campus always looks so new everytime I come, as if it is welcoming me." Nokoru shut his fan closed and placed it on his lower lip. Bizarre events happened throughout his school life. He met Suoh, and the young ninja chose to become his bodyguard. Then came Akira, as the famous 20 masks. He met such remarkable ladies, Nagisa jo, President Ohkawa. Like that, his life rolled on so smoothly and in a normal fashion. Helping damsels in distress, establishing the Clamp school detectives, getting kidnapped sometime during his childhood but always outsmarted the villains. Now, he met another person strolling into his life a few days ago. Kotobuki Kira.

Even though, his so-called cousin insisted him to call her by her first name, somehow he didn't feel like it. Getting close to her wasn't exactly in his agenda. As he heard the Clamp clock toll the lunch break, he decided to put a period to this matter.

As a result?

She is unpredictable. Yes.

She is unexpectable. Yes.

She is irritating, annoying, unpleasant to be with it? Not really.

Nokoru sighed as he looked at himself reflected of the lake. From the past few days, Nokoru had to sum up his relationship with Kira. When he thought she will go left, she goes right. She gave him so much surprises. He tried his best to dig up some information about her, but failed miserably. The only way to get answers was now to receive it directly from Kira. At least, she didn't cause any problem, right? She already seemed to have some freinds. Anita and Maron san. Nokoru smiled a little as he thought of the sweltering hot day when he first met the couple.

When Maron moved to the busy city of Tokyo, he was accepted to Clamp school because of his knowledge of marine and sea environments. Then, Anita san also decided to come with Maron, and she was very easily accepted since she was a brilliant student. She was also offered a place at the dormitories. Quiet, but smart. Her gliding skills was so superb that she second best in the whole campus. The two students were indeed Clamp campus's pride. Anita and Maron carried on as freinds, but Nokoru knew this relationship will soon develop into love. Anita grew up into a pretty young woman with dark, pearly skin, and Maron also grew up into a handsome young man with smooth honey-colored hair. Nokoru sometimes was concerned that Kira might be an obstacle between the couple, but he couldn't see any jealousy or affection when Kira looked at either Anita or Maron. Only sincere freindliness and hospitality was shone inside the bright amber orbs of her's.

Turning away from the lake, he walked the sloping hill back to his office. 'Everything will go okay,' Nokoru reminded himself. 'Except my brain will burst any time if I don't get answers soon.' Determination shone in Nokoru's eyes and he somehow he felt the secret will come out sooner or later. 'I'll just have to wait, and wait. I never failed to get something what I want, didn't I? It just so imminent, isn't it?' As he stepped into the shade of a willow tree, the fact that his avarice might hurt Kira made his heart rive. He crouched down, suddenly ashamed of himself. 'What am I becoming? What is this feeling inside me?' His ailing heart whispered. Then, another fact occured to him.

She is painfully familiar. Yes.

* * *

Giggling with Anita and Maron to her biology classroom, Kira shuffled with her bookbag and made sure everything was inside. Since the first day of school and the tension from Nokoru's council office made her to avoid Nokoru. She started to speak less to Nokoru, and he didn't question her about her sudden action of running off. Anyway, she didn't have any reason to be gloomy anymore. 'I am accustomed to this, right? Hanging out with freinds, laughing, goofing around, somewhat a class clown. Besides, I heal fast.' She shook off the evening of that day when she locked herself in a girl's washroom, wiping her face with the water running from the tap. The water gurgling down to the faucet reverberating in the empty washroom. All alone, dark, and lonely once more.

"Hey Kira chan, did you know we are dissecting a frog today ?" Maron asked cheerfully. "Yep, I hope I am in the same experiment group as you guys." Kira answered immediately, blinking her eyes twice in invisible surprise. "Why, scared of frog intestines? Don't think Anita and I are going to do all the dirty part of experimentation." She shook her head indignantly since she knew both Anita and Maron were good at anatomy. "I can be execellent at that part than you guys! Just watch." Kira replied proudly as she opened her classroom doors.

This was her first biology class in Clamp school, and she wanted to impress this teacher as much she did to Yagari sensei. For the past few days, she tried hard to keep up to her school work due to the difficult lectures and the mountain of homework that followed her classes made her more tired than ever. Back at her old school, she was a pretty good student. Getting mostly As and going on to high school honour's class, but her state was different now. This school was tough, and it was really was TOUGH. She decided to join the high school band since they had no harpist, and her music teacher who was a kind lady approved her voice and her music. So, she eventually had to stay at the campus longer than other students. She didn't really mind though, because her schedule usually ended when Nokoru's job ended. Council paperwork.

While she pulled a smug smile on her face, she thought of Nokoru's pouty face when he complained to Suoh about the amount of the documents. Her grin vanished instantly when she slightly bumped into her new teacher, her locket again bouncing on her neck. "So, you are the new student, eh. Well, I am called Meichi sensei in this classroom." Kira instantly had a feeling that this instructor was someone she couldn't mess with. A thin face, pointy nose, and a ruler in his left hand as he walked around her as if she was something disgusting from the zoo. "Well, Kotobuki san. Don't think I will favor you just because you are related to the chairman. Since every student is equal in my classroom, how much Yagari sensei thinks you are so special." Kira gulped uneasily as he looked at the gimlet like man.

She looked around at the classroom more meticulously. There was no sight of Nokoru, instead a misty, herb-like scent wafted through her senses, and strange, unpleasant critters were held in glass cases and tanks. "So, I shoud assign you to your group, and don't think I am going to put you with Anita or Maron san since I know they will be a bad influence on you." Kira opened her mouth to protest, but closed it as a surrender when she saw Anita's pleading eyes behind the teacher's back. "You will be grouped with Kyogoku san. She is our class-president, so I think she will be a perfect role-model for you." Meichi sensei said in his thin, lifeless lips and quickly strode to the teacher's armchair.

Kira sat as she eyed the blonde class-president carefully, and decided to go at a freindly way. "Gonnichiwa, Midoriko chan. How were you? Today is such a good weather for a nice stroll, eh? I think it was the right decision to come back to Japan, did you ever..." Her prattle suddenly was interrupted by no less a person than Meichi sensei. "Kotobuki san, this class requires attention!" The words were cold and low, but Kira knew he could have screamed out the words if he wanted to. "Go, gomenasai," she muttered. "What a sod." Kira said in a low whisper, but somehow Midoriko have heard. "Watch your language, Kotobuki san. I am only covering up for you because you are Nokoru sama's cousin." Midoriko's bright green eyes glinted in the shaded classroom as she glanced at Kira.

"Class, attention! Today, we are going to dissect frogs as you can see, they are all healthy and alive. You must write a hand-written lab about the intestine and the organs of an amphibian. I will take no questions from you. In addition, I must inform you since our campus is the best in the whole country that we have the best labratory and the apparatuses, materials, and tools. These frogs were very expensive and exorbitant. And please do not forget that these frogs are alive." Mechi sensei ended his speech with a grim look as he watched every classmate with such suspicion in his gray eyes.

The frogs were distributed carefully by the duties which were a matter of factly all boys. Kira saw Midoriko's handsome nose wrinkle in slight disgust as she held the greenish creature onto her delicate hands. Kira thought she needed to do her a favor. The guilt of wrecking some of Midoriko's dearly cared lavenders poked the corner of he heart. "I can do the dissecting part if you don't want to do it." Kira suggested eagerly when she saw the other member of her biology group shirink away in disgust at the slimy frog. Midoriko closed her eyes tightly as she handed Kira the yucky amphibian. "I will do the lab writing while you analyze it." Midoriko muttered under her scowl. Kira examined the frog closely in her gloved hands, she never killed a living creature before. 'What a pitiful creature are you. Having to die in a labratory like this. What is the difference of murdering a person or killing a living frog!' Kira just stared at the black eyeballs which stared straight back.

"Kotobuki san, why aren't you starting?" Midoriko asked snappishly as she poked Kira's shoulder gently. Then without intention, Kira's clutched palms abruptly loosened. The scream of Midoriko brought Kira from her daydream.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeek!" Midoriko yelled when the frog jumped onto her pearly face. "Midoriko san, I'm so sorry. Just wait a moment." Kira uttered the words helplessly as the frog jumped on to a student to student. "Get that frog! It is at least worth seventy yen!" Mechi sensei screamed out the words as he crawled on to his desk, trembling from head to toe. Yet, Kira took no notice of this as she ran laps around the classroom. "Gomen, please be still. I'll get it out of you." Kira said urgently as she tried to pull off the naughty creature off yet another female's hair. Now the loosed frog wasn't only one. It was everywhere! And, everyone all scrambled up to their desks except for a few boys, but Kira knew they only wanted to watch this entertainment close-up. All her classmates just huddled into a corner as if they all expected her to catch it. "Come on, help!" Kira yelped helplessly looking at Midoriko, since she was the class president, right? But, Midoriko just gazed silently as she pointed at a certain corner of the classroom. Kira whipped her head around to the way Midoriko pointed.

Hundreds of experimental animals swarmed through the classroom, and more screams came from the lips of the students. Foresaken and abandoned, Kira looked around the classroom with her eyes with powerlessness when she saw all kinds of repulsive creatures crawling under her feet, some crawling on to her leg, and she noticed what they were. _Leeches.... _Somehow, she felt sick when she noticed one of the windows toward the hallways _opened... _"No!" Kira yelled out the words, ignoring the sniggers coming from the boys turning into provoking whines, and ran out to the hallway. Her uncomfortable shoes slipping and sliding, and the hem of her decent skirt soaked in some weird substance that looked as if someone vomited on it.

_"No, no! This can't be happening!"_ Kira's head whirled in dizziness as she heard more screams up ahead from the hallway.

* * *

A shrewd yawn escaped through Nokoru's tedious lips. "Kaichou, you need to finish your work." Akira mumured gently. Unlike Suoh, Akira seemed to be soft and a little bit off on Nokoru's lazy habits, and Nokoru perfectly knew that. "Aww, come on, Akira. Let's have a nice break. Suoh will never know." Nokoru tried to seize the chance when Suoh left for his karate class. "Remember what we did together, Akira? While Suoh was gone I mean." Nokoru thought wheedling sweetly will let Akira in to his plans. "What should we do today? What about pretending to be survivors from an immense blizzard or a stupendous deluge. Or what about.." Nokoru was suddenly interrupted by Akira's mellifluous groan. "Please, Kaichou. Please, do not bribe me." Akira pleaded with his adorable puppy-dog eyes, his trademark. "You already missed this morning's documents. Look at those papers, I think they are going to fall down sooner or later. Besides, Takamura senpai will be very upset." Akira protested lightly.

Nokoru moaned as he looked up at the brilliant sunlight as he fanned himself slowly. Then, just as he was about to get back to his duty, he heard a scream. _A woman's... _Standing up impetuously, Nokoru walked hastily down the steps to the exit. "Ka, kaichou where are you going? You need to stay put. Or else, Ta.." Akira's protest was muffled by Nokoru's crucial tone. "Forget about Suoh! There is a lady in trouble, and not only one! Come, hurry!" Akira's outstretched arms which covered up the doorway folded up again. "Well.." Akira stammered, undecided. Nokoru grabbed firmly at either side of Akria's shoulders.

"Get a hold of yourself, Iiyujin Akira! As a member of the Clamp School Detectives, you do everything in your power for the happiness of ladies. If there is a woman to the west in tears, you go and gently hand her a handkerchief. If there is a depressed lady to the east, you run over and remove the cause of her troubles!" Nokoru's speech somehow made Akira feel the same as him, and eagerly opened the double doors. Just then, Suoh came in. "What the.." Suoh still in his karate kimono. "No time to explain, Suoh!" Nokoru blurted out the words and together him and Akira dragged Suoh to the aid for ladies! Somehow, the most athletic and strongest member of the three got pulled and dragged to the 2nd floor science classrooms, one arm by Nokoru and the other by Akira, he got pushed and pulled without an answer. The muffled scream of Suoh reverberated all the way to the second floor... "KAICHOU!!!!"

The second floor of the high school district was flooded with screams of students, teachers, and janitors, and Takamura Suoh somewhat could understand what was going on. Nokoru could see at least a hundered of nameless critters, reptile, and amphibians crawling on the walls and corridors, surrounding him. "Please stay calm, ladies and gentlemen!" At Nokoru's voice, all the females suddenly crowded around him, all scared and frightened. "Suoh, go to the university district and tell the system workers to get the alarm ready. These creatures must all come from Mechi sensei's classroom!" Nokoru exclaimed all of a sudden while Suoh hastily ran to the other side of the hallway. 'Wait, isn't biology by Meichi sensei is the one Kotobuki san is having for her fourth block? Then, where is she?' Startled, Nokoru stood on tippy-toes and looked around the crowd. 'No sign of her.'

Then, a familiar voice caught his ears. "Nokoru sama." Nokoru whipped his head around. "Midoriko san." Midoriko made a small smile despite the condition she was in when she heard her name coming from Nokoru's lips. "Nokoru sama." She uttered out the words as she tried to come closer to him. "Midoriko san, have you seen Kotobuki san?" Nokoru asked in a unusually loud voice when he pulled Midoriko by her arm. Midoriko's smile vanished slightly when she heard who her crush was looking for. "Oh, well as you can see Nokoru sama. What kind of person would make a problem like this?" She prompted, one eyebrow raised. "You are not saying, Kotobu.." Nokoru was lost for words. 'Was she this mischevious? To smear tears on other innocent females' cheeks? She can't be that cruel.'

Soon enough, all the critters were out of the building, captured by the janitors and co-workers. The security of Clamp campus was amazing as ever, the walls and corridors all mopped up and cleared up in an instant. "Well, I think that is the last of it, Kaichou." Suoh sighed as Akira comforted all the female students to their classrooms. Now, only the students attending Meichi's biology lesson was standing on the hallway. Anita and Maron were the anxious of them all.

"Kotobuki san is still not here?" Nokoru asked them and both of them shook their heads. Midoriko gave a worried glance at Nokoru, and somehow disappointed. "I will go and get her. I hope she is not trampled by a bunch of frogs." Nokoru tried to reach the entrance door, but then someone clutched his sleeve. "Wait, Imonoyama san. Your cousin, Kotobuki san did an immense problem to my class! I just can't believe she is related to you! She ruined my whole class! I want to get her detention, suspension, no expellsion!" Meichi yelled like a mad man, his glasses crooked to the side in a weird way.

"Iie sensei. You are wrong. Kira san didn't do anything wrong. She was the only student in our whole class who tried to clean up this mess. Even you were horrified, sensei! And as for me, as the class president. I couldn't do anything. Of course, I knew better than Kotobuki san at biology, but at that moment I just, just..." Midoriko was lost for words as she looked down at the floor. "I feel responsible for this situation. I was supposed to lead the class in an orderly fashion, so I.." Nokoru looked sympathetically at the blonde damsel who was in this case, almost in tears. Midoriko was always like this. She may look unfriendly and aloof, but her inside was warm and thoughtful. "It is not your fault. There are some witnesses too, you know." Nokoru said as he motioned to Anita and Maron. Nokoru ordered Suoh and Akira to organize the students, and ran to the entrance of the school. In search of Kira... Worries swamped his mind as he looked only straight ahead.

_He didn't look behind, since he only looked ahead._

_He didn't see the hollow smile of Midoriko..._

_Smiling melancholy at her crush..._

_Another tear, as a different purpose dropped from her cheeks._

_'She is her cousin isn't she? Of course it is normal to worry about her. But, what is this emptiness...'_

* * *

Nokoru ran to the lake he used as a hideout from Suoh and Akira. Then stopped abruptly when he saw the silhouette of Kira skipping from the forest. Forcing a smile on his lips, and ready for another lecture about not running off, he again suddenly stopped when he saw Kira. Despite her wet attire and dripping hair, she hummed happily as she ran to Nokoru. "Look Nokoru, look what I got. I finally captured that frog! See, I caught a frog! Aren't you so proud of me?" Kira asked childishly as she stopped a couple of footsteps from Nokoru. At first, he just stared.

A lotus leaf was hanging from the left side of her face, a half dead frog hanging limply from her right hand, her tangled hair shining in a bright brown under the setting sun, and her left cheek smeared with dirt. She stumbled and the frog seized its' chance and leaped away. "Crap. Oh well.." Kira scowled and made an innocent face when she noticed the poker-face in front of her. "You heard it from, Meichi sensei didn't you? What will I get? A week of detention? Suspension? Or..." Kira closed her eyes tight. Why does it always have to be like this? Why was she always the troublemaker? How come always she got the blame? 'What kind of a loser am I?' Kira was waiting for an answer from Nokoru's tight lips. Expecting a terrible scolding, she squirmed slightly, but opened her eyes when she heard something she never predicted.

_Laughter..._

Nokoru suddenly burst into laughter. He couldn't help it. Kira's state was just so funny. Nokoru never really laughed like this before. He always smiled, a silent smile, sometimes forced. But not this time, he felt pure amusement, his wasted childhood flowing back to him. His wasted years of silence. Since he became older he had to act more grown-up like than most children his age. Even though he had Suoh and Akira to company him, he still never felt so young or joyful like this before. Then the words Rijichou spoke to him rang again through his heart. _'She wil be a good friend to you in the future and present.' _Now, Nokoru felt he could understand what it meant. _Somewhat..._

"Hey! You can't just laugh like that! Stop it!" Kira yelled sarcastically as she pulled a pouty grin on her face. "Go, gomen, Kira chan. I just can't help it. Hahah.." Nokoru spluttered like a little child, and for a split second Kira just gazed at her. She felt cheerful just standing and looking at him like that. When she was with Nokoru, she felt as if her parents didn't die, as if she didn't lose all her fortune, as if she was a rich woman in the first place. It was as if there wasn't pain in her in the first place. Then she shooked her head. The fact that she wasn't supposed to feel like this made her like her old self once more. That was when she realized he called by her given name for the first time. "You just wait, if I catch you, you are so dead." Kira replied playfully as she started to run. Nokoru laughed and ran. "Stop right there!" Kira also laughed and chased him around the lake.

"I, I am sorry, Kira chan!" Nokoru ran backwards as he felt energy surge through him. At that moment, he forgot everything he was supposed to act while he laughed there with Kira. He forgot he was the president of the Clamp high school district, forgot he wasn't close to Kira, _forgot he was an Imonoyama..._

Then a thought occured to Nokoru. Kira gave him something important to him that day. Something nobody taught him or showed him. Something he thought was negligible to his life. Something he was supposed to ignore for the rest of his life as an Imonoyama. But, even the smart brain of Nokoru couldn't search the words that described it. The pain and questions which distressed him in the morning somehow washed it like clear, pristine dew. He felt whole, like a normal high school boy. The laughter, the broken wall between himself and the other students, and the forgotton gap between an Imonoyama and a normal person were the ones that filled his mind. Kira treated him not like an Imonoyama, but himself. _As Nokoru.._

That was when he remembered that Kira always called him just Nokoru. By his name. Not Kaichou. Not Nokoru sama. Not Imonoyama. Just his name. As her equal. Kira wasn't his friend. Not just yet. But, he felt there was something he could feel that he didn't feel in front of other females. And he finally figured it out. It was equality, and that was what broke the tension and the difference between himself and Kira. As Nokoru and Kira ran and laughed like children, the sun slowly set, promising a better future, and more surprises. As he chuckled, more questions and secrets behind Kira's smile aroused Nokoru's curiosity. And with great regret and reluctance, he had to come back to an Imonoyama again.

_The Imonoyama which should reflect in Kira's eyes._

_'I hope she won't see through me.. Not in a time like this? Why can't I be more stronger? I shouldn't laugh and play like this with an immature child like her. I am different from her. Different...'_

_A silent tear fell down his cheek... When will he see the prejudice? When will he see through the mist?_

_'She is just as same as any other female. She is nothing special...'_

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well, that's it.. I was bit off topic this time. Forgot to right the author's note last chapter, so I'm writing it now. Do you think the chapter is too long? I shorten it a bit this  
time. If you want short chapters, I will do that. Disclaimers apply and I give thanks to people who wrote reviews. Please RnR~ Good Bye!


	7. For that Special One

_Tears in vain..._

_If I cry for you.._

_If I smile for you.._

_Who would cry and smile for me?_

_Don't say you are sorry._

_Because I am not confident enough to say I am alright._

_

* * *

_

The night view of Clamp campus shone beneath the windows, and Nokoru looked sadly behind it. All the students were going home, and he could point out the figure of Kotobuki Kira despite the tremendous crowd of students. She was chattering happily as she skipped eagerly beside Anita and Maron. Nokoru wondered what she was talking about. Sighing, he too packed his case with several textbooks and some unfinished documents. Both Suoh and Akira already left to their home, to their loving family. His family were all seperated. His father, Aidoru, and Shoji in Europe. His eldest sister, beneath the great walls of anicient Japanese castle. As for Midori, she moved to Egypt since she was deeply inspired by the Egyptian civilization. And him, he was stuck in his own world.

Several days ago, he sensed a slight feeling from Kira. Since that day, he have been calling Kira by her name. Everytime he had to address her, somehow he couldn't call her just 'Kotobuki san' after what happened that day when all the biology critters came loose. He tried to stay as far away from Kira as possible, but he just couldn't. _'Why am I keep thinking about her? She is not my crush or anything.'_ How much Nokoru tried to erase the happiness he felt that day, that sensation kept coming back to him. 'Admit it, Nokoru. You encountered something that day. You want to feel that again don't you?' His inner voice seemed to whisper it close to his ear, and yes it was true. He desperately wanted to feel free like any normal boy. He wanted to hear Kira's voice again calling his name as her friend, her equal.

An image shifted through his mind from that day at the lake. Kira running happily beside him and smiling. He wanted to see it again. He was desperate. Nokoru hastily shook his head. 'I am going crazy. Indeed I am.' Nokoru knew he already chose to ignore Kira after what he did to her.

At that day when he stopped his laugh abruptly, Kira also stopped laughing and stopped. "What's wrong, Nokoru?" She have asked. "Nothing, and you should dry your clothes. Go home Kira. Saku san is waiting for you at the entrance." He have replied brusquely as he turned away from her. "Are you mad at me? I thought you forgave me." Kira have said as she blocked his path in a freindly manner. Her bright amber eyes looked fresh and innocent under the setting sun. For a moment, he just gazed at her. His eyes totally locked into her's. He was an Imonoyama, he was brilliant at everything. He coped well in front of other females, even the most prettiest ones, but somehow he just couldn't do that in front of Kira. Still, he done it.

"Didn't you hear me? Go home. Just.." He saw the hurt in her eyes when he shouldered past her, toward his office. After a couple of paces, he heard Kira's voice behind him. "Well, thanks for your time with me. Ja ne, Nokoru." She have said. He didn't turn back in fear of going back to Kira again. He just kept walking until he was in quite a distance from the lake. It was then when he stopped to look back. The small shape of Kira shone brightly beneath the warm setting sun. It was beautiful. Nokoru had to admit. He reached out his hand in the direction of Kira even though he knew he wouldn't reach her and curled it into a tight fist. He knew he had been cruel to her, ignoring her like that after their cheerful banter. Reluctantly, he had to come back to his office.

Back to reality, Nokoru sat on his leather chair, and sank deeply on to it. Placing his arm over his eyes, he savored that day's memory since he wasn't going to feel it again. The laughter and her voice was still ringing in his ears. He didn't wish to accept the fact that he liked the way it sound. It was a sin. _'What am I becoming? What is she to me?'_

* * *

Kira looked up from her textbook. The clock tolled as the arrow turned to 9 p.m. She have sat for a quite a bit of time. The enormous pile of homework on her desk was now just a meager bunch of papers. Stretching and yawning lazily, she shifted her eyes toward the door. Nokoru haven't come home yet. 'What is taking so long?' Kira wondered. Nokoru wasn't late this much yesterday. Twisting some strands of her hair, she hastily stood up, and stretched few more times when she felt her stiff legs. As she walked swiftly to her patio, she again was amazed at the beauty of the night view of Clamp campus. A big shape of a star shone brightly under the moonlight. The cool air made Kira's shoulders shiver, but she didn't mind a bit as she hugged Memory closer to her.

"It feels weird today, Memory." Kira whispered gently in the cool breeze, closing her eyes. Then opened it suddenly. "Wait tomorrow is.." Opening the glass doors, Kira slipped and slided in her slippers as she sat back down in front of her desk again and glanced at her calender. She was right without a doubt. Tomorrow was a special day. Clicking her locket open, she gazed warmly at the photo and kissed it. "I almost forgot, tomorrow was the day. It has been a while. Guess I should postpone any schedule for tomorrow for my special person." Kira looked up at the stars once more, smiling sadly. _'I missed you, Okaa-san.'_

* * *

The morning sunlight dazzled beneath the cherry blossoms, as the students chattered, walking hastily to their classrooms. Nokoru flashe a smile at some of the ladies as he walked along the corridor with Suoh and Akira. He have slept in his office last night, just like that on his chair. Suoh have woke him up early in the morning. "Kaichou, what are you doing here? Did you spent the night here?" He have exclaimed. Nokoru yawned slightly twisting his jaw, his tongue felt raw. "Is it true, Kaichou. You slept in the office last night?" Akira asked worriedly as he trotted beside Nokoru. "I am alright, Akira. Besides, this is not the first time I spent my night in the office." Nokoru replied. "But it is the first time you slept on your chair, like that. You didn't even have a blanket over you! Weren't you cold?" Suoh questioned with one eyebrow raised. "No, in fact I slept really well." Nokoru answered as if nothing happened. "Well, that is strange. There was no heating in the school last night. It would be normal to get a terrible fever, sleeping in a state like that." Akira said seriously.

"Yes, that is strange. I feel so well." Nokoru murmured to himself as he headed to Yagari's classroom. The classroom was half full with students and in his surprise, Kira was already there. Talking with Anita, Kira didn't look offended by him from his ignorance after the incident several days ago. "Ohayo, Midoriko san." Nokoru smiled as he sat beside his classmate. "Oh, Ohayo Nokoru sama." Midoriko made a welcoming gaze as she looked up from her book. A group of girls crowded around him when they heard Nokoru's arrival. "Nokoru sama, what do you want for your birthday? There is only a week left, you know!"

Over the chattering of the females, Nokoru could eavesdrop on what Kira and Anita were saying.

"I can help you clean up the gliding chamber at lunch break." Kira said, purposely ignoring Nokoru's arrival. If it was just any normal day, she would have been the first one to greet him, but this time she didn't. She spent the night in her patio, waiting for Nokoru. Since Nokoru's room was shown from her patio, she have been waiting eagerly for his room to lighten up. It never did, and she was worried sick. It was now, when she realized Nokoru haven't come home in the first place. "Arigato Kira chan. I was worried about all those cleaning to do since it would be only me and Maron kun. The work would be done fast enough. Oh, and I have three tickets for the dance party for this evening. Want to come with Maron and me?" Anita offered.

Nokoru couldn't listen to the rest of the conversation when Yagari sensei entered the room. It was just an ordianary day. There wasn't any difference to it, but Nokoru couldn't seem to pay attention to Yagari's lecture just like any other day. He was still wondering the mystery of last night. Yes, there wasn't any heating in the school after all the students went home, but he felt healthy, not feverish. 'How mysterious.' Nokoru wondered as he stared at the back of Kira's head. Her hair was in a loose braid which was hanging down gently down her back. Nokoru have noticed three things that seemed wrong this morning.

One, he slept well despite the freezing temperature inside his office.

Two, Kira didn't say good-morining to him unlike any other day.

Three, Kira's eyes were dull as if she didn't sleep well last night.

Nokoru was quite sure that today was different from other days.

* * *

"Whew, this is a lot of work, Maron." Kira choked out the dust between gasps. "Well, it has been a while since we cleaned it. The weather was too cold to go hang-gliding for the last monthes, you know." Maron replied as he poked his head from a pile of gliding geers. "I am back, guys." Anita opened the door and coughed at the amount of dust. "Are you alright, Anita?" Maron was immediately to her side, and Kira smiled silently as she backed away from the couple. 'They are getting even more close nowadays, I'm glad.' The unfamiliar tools and objects in the storage made Kira extremely confused. She have volunteered to help her friends since Anita made such a gloomy face when she talked about her problem about cleaning the storage. Now Kira could understand how much Anita was anxious. She didn't know the storage would need this much work!

But, the thing which really bothered her was her irksome shoes! It was bugging her all morning when she was terribly worried about Nokoru. Already, her feet were helping her from dozing off because of its' uncomfortable feeling it gave to her toes all the way to her ankle. "Anita chan, Maron kun." Kira whined slightly as she called her friends. At her voice, Anita and Maron jumped apart as if they came back to reality. Kira giggled a bit, and made a freindly complain. "These shoes are killing me, Anita chan. Do you have any other shoes that I can borrow? It hurts!" Anita made a intimate sigh as she looked at Kira in her benign smile. "You are still not customed to our uniform?" Kira placed a hand to the back of her head. "Oh well, it's just that going to a uniform school doesn't really feel right." Kira made cute puppy dog eyes as she looked at Anita expectantly.

The puppy eyes did it. "Maron kun, are your gym sneakers fit enough for Kira?" Maron looked up from his sorting and made a crooked grin. "Well, it will be pretty big for her. Are you complaining about your uniform again?" Maron looked amused. "I don't care if they are big or not. May I just borrow them until the work is done?" Kira responded hurriedly as she tip-toed on the piled up floor. Maron gestured her to the door, slowly chuckling. "Come on. You expected me to give me away my locker combo? No way." Anita laughed when she saw Kira's sulky look. "Just lead me the way, Maron!" Kira walked determinedly to the hallway, Maron's laughter reverberating.

The trip to the lockers was short and how much Kira tried to peep over Maron's shoulders to get a better look at his lock, she failed miserably. "Nice try, Kira chan. Well, here you go." Maron said sarcastically as he handed her his slightly worn sneakers. "Hmph, maybe next time." Kira snorted as she looked at the faded sneakers and put them on. The uneven handwritting of Maron showed clearly in black sharpie on the side. Her feet felt so refreshing when she was finally free from the pair of thick leather what they called 'shoes.' The pair of sneakers were indeed too big for her, but at least it was comfortable and it didn't squeeze her toes. "That's better. Arigato Maron." Kira thanked him as she ran down the corridors.

"Kira, wait!" Maron shook his head for a few times as he grabbed Kira's shoes on one hand. He made a funny looking grin when he heard the cold voice of Meichi sensei. "NO RUNNING IN THE HALLWAY!" Of course, Maron thought. Kira was faster than anyone when it came to trouble.

Creaking the door open, Kira heaved herself inside the dusty storage. Her heart was still beating from the spook of Meichi's scream. At least, she ran off just in time. Maron shuffled in and made a crooked grin. "Whoa, Kira. I think better of you from now. You ran in quite a speed when Meichi yelled at you." Kira looked up from her greasing job, and returned his grin. "Oh, good. I am an expert at that, don't I?" Anita giggled uncontrollably. "It's not just this time, Maron kun. Kira also took off after she landed in Midoriko san's lavender bushes." At this, Kira's face blushed. "A, Anita chan! I am still sorry for her! She have stood up for me when I almost got kicked out of school, didn't she?" Kira spluttered. "Well I bet she only stood up for you because you are the chairman's cousin." Maron added. This tickled Kira's fancy. "Huh?"

Anita looked quite surprised. "I thought you already noticed, Kira chan. Midoriko san is actually obsessed in that Imonoyama boy. She had a big crush on him since elementary, I suppose. Am I right, Maron?" Maron nodded his head. "You are right. You didn't know, Kira? I thought you were pretty close to the president. Midoriko burned with yearning when he took off to find you that day. Maybe she is jealous, who knows? Anyway, I think Nokoru should sooner or later answer to her plea, wouldn't he? He can't possibly leave a lady like Midoriko just wait for him forever."

"How can I ever be close to him?" Kira mumbled absentmindedly, yet she still felt a bit morose. "Do I have to put this back?" Kira asked Anita as she showed her the newly greased tools. "Yes, Kira chan. Just put them in the new gliding chamber." Anita quickly answered when Maron opened his mouth to say something. "Kay." Kira replied dully and shoved the door open. When the door was closed. Maron and Anita looked at each other and shrugged. Kira could be so weird sometimes.

As she shut the door quietly, Kira slumped to the hard wall. The heavy gears felt incorporeity on her lap. For a few minutes, Kira just stared at the wall in front of her. Her eyes were slightly out of focus as she got up. While walking down the hallway, Kira felt confused. 'Is this jealousy?' Her inner voice rang in her eardrums as she blindly walked on the hallway. Eventhough there were a lot of people chattering happily, enjoying the bright sunshine, she felt strangely lonely.

Something hit her hard on the shoulder, and she fell to the ground without thinking. Then she got up hurriedly to face whatever hit her on the shoulder. Wincing with pain from getting pinned by a ton of iron gears, Kira uttered a curse under her breath. "What the.." Kira was lost for words when she saw a mob of female running towards someone. Of course she knew who that person will be. It would be those three highschool council members getting lionized by another group of female students. She knew this was normal, but something kept bugging her and she felt hot anger deep inside her.

The heavy gears have scraped her shoulder and she was exceedingly frustrated. "How am I supposed to clean this mess?" Kira scowled as she glared at the running girls. Without thinking, Kira kicked at the ground hard, and Maron's sneaker flew into the air and hit one of the girls on the head hard. Kira forgot that she wasn't in her uncomfortable leather shoes. Then, the girl suddenly yelped with pain and of course knowing that Nokoru and his colleagues will come to the victim's aid, Kira ran to the stairs. Forgetting the items she was meant to put back, she also forgot to retrieve Maron's sneaker.

_'What should I do? If Nokoru catches me, he will likely give me a whole day of detention. I can't do that today! Not today. Not today...'_

Nokoru quickly ran to the crying damsel and handed her a handkerchief. "What happened miss? Who caused your trouble? Clamp school detectives will be glad to help such a beautiful lady like you." Nokoru made a warm smile on his face, and she instantly recovered from her weeping. "Arigato, Nokoru sama. It's just that something flew and hit me on the head, hard." Even though Nokoru couldn't see any swelling or humps on her head, he just decided to understand her pain.

"Kaichou, look at this." Suoh came over to Nokoru's side and Akira peeped curiously over his shoulder. Nokoru carefully observed the object which in this case caused so much pain. It was a worn sneaker, and it looked like a male's. "Don't worry. We will catch the culprit sooner or later." Nokoru replied, smiling warmly at the young lady who was in this case, smiling with joy that the most popular boy in school was paying attention to her. "Akira, take this lady to the nurse's office, Suoh let's go to the office to do some investigation." Nokoru perfectly knew who the culprit was. It said on the sneaker. _Maron san._

Still, Maron was not a person who would just take off after hurting a damsel. Even though Maron was not a feminist, Nokoru perfectly knew Maron's generosity towards females. But, without further investigation Nokoru had to make a solution that Maron was the only possible suspect for this matter. "Suoh, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Nokoru addressed his secretary. Suoh just shook his head solemnly. "Are you saying about Maron san taking the blame?" Striding towards Nokoru's desk, Suoh glanced at the sneaker once more. "Do you want me to fetch Maron san?" Suoh suggested. "Iie, Suoh. I can just ask the film club to borrow their intercom. But, I don't really think Maron san would do that. Besides..." Nokoru handed Suoh the sneaker. "Smell it."

At this, Suoh made a you-can't-be-serious look which made Nokoru chuckle. "Eh? Doushite Kaichou? No offence to Maron san, but I bet it will smell terrible! Your kidding right?" Instead of a sarcastic laugh, Nokoru looked definitely serious. Sighing, Suoh obediently lowered his head and sniffed at the sneaker. To his surprise, he couldn't trace a scent a trace of athletic highschool boy's sock scent. Instead, it smelled almost like perfume. "So, sorewa." Suoh murmured. "Yoshi. This is the funny bit of our investigation." Nokoru resonded. "It smelled like woman perfume." Suoh looked astonished.

"No. I smelled this scent before. It's not perfume. It's the smell of wild flowers." Fanning himself, Nokoru thought. 'It is deviating. The sneaker is definitely Maron san's, but the scent is someone else. But who is it? Well, whoever it is, it smells relaxing and familiar.' Looking up at the cloudless blue sky, he decided to question Maron for this matter. "Suoh will you fetch Maron san please. He will be at the second floor, at the old gliding chamber."

After a couple of minutes, Suoh came in with Maron who was indeed looking confused. "Gonnichiwa Maron san. Please have a seat." Nokoru gestured a seat to the bewildered looking boy. "Um, Imonoyama san, Did I do something wrong?" He said as he regarded the capacious office, and when his bronze eyes discovered an object which he was strangely familiar with he lowered his head, understanding the situation. "Maron san you are owner of this sneaker. Am I right?" Nokoru questioned. "Yes, as you can see." Maron knew there was nowhere to avoid his questions.

"Then shouldn't this be in your locker?" Nokoru asked one eyebrow raised. "It should be." Maron answered simply. "Then why was this," Nokoru stood up and slowly strode over to Maron's side, "flying in the air and hit an innocent damsel?" At this question, Maron couldn't find the right words to explain his answer. All he could do was to avert the chairman's surveying gaze. "So, sorewa." Maron spluttered. Nokoru was quite sure that Maron did it. "Gomenasai, Nokoru sama." Maron lowered his head. "I did it." Maron perfectly knew what was going to come. A week full of detention for a case he wasn't to blame. But, he didn't want to let Kira take the blame either.

Just as Nokoru was about to say the result of the matter the entrance to the council office bursted open.

"Hai, Akira. How is the.." Nokoru looked up, but instead of seeing Akira's cheerful smile. He saw Kira with her windblown hair, still swinging from side to side. The balmy aroma of wild flowers wafted Nokoru's senses and he guessed at a stroke. "It was you." Nokoru uttered the words. "I borrowed Maron's sneaker, and it kind of fell off." Kira looked at her toes. She knew what was going to come. The only choice for her was to beg for mercy.

For a few minutes everything was dead silent. Nokoru looked Kira up and down. She looked out of breath and her left foot was obviously shoeless. As Nokoru's gaze moved to her torso, he noticed which made his shoulders sag. Bright, crimson liquid was slowly spreading her shoulder, dying her white blouse into scarlet. Suoh and Maron also noticed Kira's wound, and turned to look at Nokoru, waiting for his descision.

"Maron san. You may go." Nokoru said determindedly. Maron glanced at Kira, a hint of pity in his eyes. "Suoh, will you escort Maron san. And send my apologies." Nokoru looked deeply regretful of his foolishness. Immediately, Suoh closed the door behind him. "You won't be too hard on her, right? She is your cousin." Maron's voice vanished with his prescence and Kira thanked him quietly. "Um Nokoru." Kira decided to prompt gently.

"A lady is in distress because of your fault." Nokoru crossed his arms. "I already overlooked your last mistake. You can't expect me to do that again, do you?" Kira knew this was her only chance. "Gomene. I will try to be careful from now on. Can't you just let me go? Just for today?" Kira begged. Nokoru's patience was running out. "Look Kira. This is not a joke. You will serve your detention for a whole day." Kira felt her knees shaking. She couldn't serve detention today, but she couldn't let Maron take the blame either. "No, Nokoru. I can serve detention for another day, right? Why does it have to be today? This is unfair." _She knew she was acting like an arrogant brat, but she couldn't tell him that today was her late mother's birthday._

Sorely missing her dead mother, Kira mourned to see her mother's grave since she didn't visit it after the accident of her father's company. Nokoru could sense a hint of desperation, and what was that? _'Love? Maybe...' _But there was a different reasion for Nokoru to insist Kira to stay put. He didn't want Rijichou to see Kira in this state, and he simply couldn't afford to let Kira any more wounded than this. A bloody shoulder was enough for one day. Whatever she was asking , he decided to ignore them.

"I am just stopping by at the nurse's office. Akira would take care of the hurt freshman, but you know just in case." Nokoru spoke vaguely as he stepped outside of his office, still ignoring Kira's hot stare.

_That shoulder wound looked pretty nasty._

* * *

Arriving from the nurse's office with bandages and an ointment bottle, Nokoru gazed upon the empty office room. Suoh and Akira came from behind him. "Ka, kaichou. Where, where did Kotobuki san go?" Akira stammered as if he didn't expect this situation. As for Suoh, he just looked at the wide opened window. "Masaka." Nokoru muttered under his breath, and the objects held tightly in his arms fell disorientedly to the ground. Akira tried to pick them up, but fell back rigid at the usually cheerful face of his senpai turn stone cold. Suoh also felt the tension and sighed.

"Kaichou? Do you have any idea where she would be?" Suoh asked gently. Without answering, Nokoru just staggered to his comfortable leather chair and sank deeply into it. "I don't understand?" That was all he said. Staring blankly at his hands, Nokoru felt mesmerized as his eyes turned to the opened window. The blowing curtains were still full of the odor of wild flowers. A garden full of wild flowers, growing on their own without the help of anyone.

A thought suddenly occured to him. _The conversation from this morning. _Anita offered Kira to go to a party. Maybe she went there. This thought only made Nokoru's anger rise. 'How can she be so disobedient? Doesn't she know how much responsibility I have?' Placing a fake smile on his lips, Nokoru slowly surveyed his two fellow detectives. "Suoh. Akira. There is no need to track her down. This is another part of this case. I think I have a clue where she is." Suoh and Akira just looked at each other. Suoh decided to keep on doing the council work and Nokoru just stared blankly at the wall.

'She won't get away with this. I won't forgive her.' It was like a punch in the face. A dismal blue was spreading the sky, and so was Nokrou's eyes. His bright blue eyes were changing slowly into dark indigo. This was the first time a female ignore his words and decline his offer to help. Suoh, who came to place some documents on Nokoru's desk, came down the steps reluctantly back to his own working desk. Nokoru was clearly not in the right mood.

Nokoru wanted revenge. He wanted to stretch the limits of Kira's disobedience and her egoism and give her back what kind of shame she gave to him. Not any girl dared to disagree his ways. The secret she was hiding behind her smile, and the reason why Rijichou wants to protect her so much. That was what Nokoru wanted to know. The only way to know this was to finish the case quickly as possible. Maybe if he figures out her past, everything might go the way he planned.

_He never knew then that knowledge could be so painful... That it was better of not knowing it... The harder he tries to know the tragedy behind her smile... The closer he is to turmoil..._

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well this chapter took a lot of time than other chapters. I hope you like it, but I bet there would be a lot of grammer and spelling mistakes, so I hope you are tolerable

enough to read it..^ㅁ^ I will keep writing this fic until the last chapter, I guess. I am keep thinking of making this story into a tragedy. There are still a lot of ideas in my head and there

would be some more chapters added. Please review~ Happy Reading!~


	8. Teardrop Showers

_Heartless..._

_Please, do not criticize a person 'heartless', 'tearless', or 'loveles'._

_Because they all gave their heart, tears, and love to everyone.._

_Whom I loved, whom who loved me..._

_Gave it all away when they left me..._

_So there is nothing left for me..._

_Still, it's okay.._

_They won't get criticized...right?_

* * *

The Clamp campus cafe seemed to be filled with smiling, cheerful students, but in the back of the cafe, there were three young men sitting in silence. Beside a nice smelling rose bush, Imonoyama Nokoru sipped his tea quietly and complimented the nice weather. Only his colleagues were just giving each other uneasy looks. The first one to break the unseemly silence was Takamura Suoh.

"Anou, Kaichou. What should we do about your cousin's case?" Suoh asked as he looked away from Nokoru's piercing, blue gaze. Being addressed after a grave silence seemed to fill Nokoru's mind with pretentious glee. "Yes, Suoh. Oh, that case. I decided to close that for now. Why would I care, right?" Nokoru answered without showing any attention to his fellow companions. Both Suoh and Akira's mouths were hanging open. This was the first time their feminist chairman said something like that about a female. Akira kept looking at Kaichou, but Suoh quickly leaned back on his chair. He could understand. Kotobuki san was indeed being rude and ignorant, but he himself never expected this from Nokoru.

'How particular of him.' Suoh looked up at Nokoru who was again back on his compliments on the fine weather. Then for a split second, Suoh noticed a quick, mischevious curve creep on the corners of Nokoru's lips, and knew what was going on. Kaichou had his own plans about this troubled lady. It was best for him and Akira to stay out of this problem. As Suoh expected, Nokoru soon stood up from his chair and cleared his throat.

"I will go and meet Rijichou, you know it has been a long time not seeing her." Nokoru declared with his voice back on being benign. Akira's face still looked puzzled, but Suoh placed a hand on the black-haired kouhai. Somehow, Akira just had to let the chairman go. The grip on Suoh's shoulder told him why.

As usual, the meeting at the clock tower was started with a peaceful calmness. The tedious climb of the stairs seemed to be even more tired than other days. Still, the small silhouette of his mother at the surface of the last flight of stairs seemed to lift Nokoru's mood. "Gonbangwa, Okaa-san." Nokoru declared his arrival, and the fan-covered face of his mother slowly turned her thin torso to him. "Had a nice day, Nokoru san?" Rijichou's cherry-red lips seemed to greet him with love, yet Nokoru couldn't feel it. "Today was actually very bizzare." Nokoru replied as he stared at the glowing sun. "Unusual? Doushite?" Rijichou blankly looked at her son beneath her fan.

"My life became bizzare and distorted since you brought Kira san. Can you tell me, why?" His mother seemed to be speechless, but slowly answered to his question. "Don't claim to know so much, Nokoru san. Do you dislike her? Is she not meeting your expectations or.." There was a short pause and "are you just simply intrested?" Nokoru did his best to hide his frustration. "All three. She is not behaving the way I want. It's not that I dislike her belonging. I only dislike her secrets and the fact that she always seems to succeed everytime when she tries to mess around with my feelings." The words he wanted to say flowed from his lips.

"So you are saying that she is special, unique, and one of a kind." Rijichou made a mild smile on her lips. For the first time, Nokoru didn't wish to see his mother's victorious smile. "Didn't I already say that she is different?" Nokoru sighed quietly. "I know I am an Imonoyama, but I don't want to hide my anger this time, Okaa-san. This is serious. Sometimes I wonder she is even human! I worry about her, I feel something I shouldn't feel in front of her, and I show it without knowing it. She makes me feel humble and simple, as if I am nothing! But she can't possibly outsmart me either. She always disobeys me. Just like today." Nokoru felt his mother's hand placed on his shoulder.

"What happened, Nokoru san?" At Rijichou's gentle words, Nokoru just had to give in. "She ran away." There was a short silence in the clock tower as the clock rang for six p.m. The worried crease on Rijichou's brow seemed to ease as she made a knowing glance at her son. "She will be back, don't be so worried. You don't have to go looking for her." Nokoru gave his mother a puzzled look. "I wasn't planning to go looking for her. I already know where she is. She went partying with her freinds." Rijichou chuckled her balmy laugh. "I am glad she gets along with our students. And one thing is for sure Nokoru san. She won't be partying on a day like this. I only hope she will come back before it gets too dark." Rijichou smiled as she gave a last tap on Nokoru's shoulder and stepped towards the stairs.

Nokoru was speechless. Wasn't his mother even feel the slightest anger? Why was she being so merciful to this particular person? He doubted that Kira would be at some place other than the party. Then behind his back, the silky voice of Rijichou flowed into his ears.

"Oh I forgot to mention. You didn't came home last night. Kira san stayed up, waiting for you. She seemed disappointed. See you at home, Nokoru san."

The only thing left for him was the setting, golden, sun. Which reminded him of amber...

* * *

The train rattled down the tracks as Kira peeked a glance at the scenery outside. The images of the green nature shifted quickly as the train gained up speed from its' last station. 'I am almost there.' Kira turned her torso to the inside of the train as she clutched onto her bouquet which tingled her nose with the scent of all bluebells, daffodils, and camelias. She picked all sorts of flowers from the garden behind the Imonoyama mall which she used as the escape route from Nokoru's office. Sighing, thinking of the angry Nokoru at the estate, the voice of the engineer came from the speaker. "We will be arriving to the Fuji station in ten minutes. The exit is on the left. Have a safe trip, thank you." Tightning her grip on the flowers, she picked her way from the crowded train towards the exit door.

Kira finally felt she was actually in Japan from the train ride. The noisy train station, the vast pine tree forests making hilly mountains, all of them seemed so unfamiliar, yet it told her that this land was her home. Before Kira could remember every single part of the Japanese culture, the train came to a screeching stop making the lush greenery into a gray wall of the station. The electronic sign that said 'Fuji Station' was visible above the tall streetlight. The station felt quiet and silent compared to the noisy train.

Walking up the steps outside, Kira looked back at the train as her long braid whipped carelessly behind her back. 'This is another part of my memory, right?' The bright light of the sunset that was flowing from the exit of the tunnel made Kira's eyes into slits as she tried to adjust her view to the bright outside. When she stepped out of the dark train station, she gaped in awe. The scenery that came before her was something made her miss Denmark. The pastoral hills and valleys was spreaded out in front of Kira, and it seemed there was no end in sight. Between the endless, hilly plains, a small temple glimmered in the corner of Kira's amber eyes. 'So it is there, right?' Kira looked up as she checked the map once more. "Yokata, good that I found the right place." Grinning soundlessly, Kira skipped energetically towards the wavering light.

After a long walk to the temple, wooden double doors blocked Kira's path. "It wasn't so small after all, huh." Kira mumbled as she looked down at the way she came, and gaped. "Whoa, I am at the top of the hills!" Somehow, her voice became pretty loud, and the door behind her creaked open. A young bhikkhuni stared up at her with a questioning look. "The good monk is praying. Will you come in and wait?" Kira made an apologetic smile and folded her hands politely. "Gomenasai for screaming out loud in such a hallowed place." The bhikkuni took Kira in to the spacious, yet clean yard of the temple. Looking at the ornately carved sculpures of the twelve animals of the Chiniese zodiac, Kira asked the bhikkuni. "How did you know I will come here?" Putting down his lantern, the bhikkuhni looked back at Kira.

"My master knows the truth within the world, and of course the truth within you." The bhikkuhni answered politely and showed Kira to a small temple which was wide opened. Looking inside of the room more carefully, Kira noticed the walls were made of red clay, which made a balmy scent in the air. There were three grand statues in the temple, all three of them sitting cross-legged. The statue in the middle was a Buddha, comparing the size, Kira noticed it was at least three times larger than her. It was made in luminous gold, and Kira could notice that no normal sculptor could finish such a masterpiece.

The two figures which were placed in each side of the Buddha were two Bodhisattvas. Both of them were also made in gleaming gold which made a color of shaded amber because of the last rays of light filtering through the gate section. The Bodhisattavas looked graceful yet powerful as the three main statues loomed upon Kira who just looked up at them in awe. The statues weren't the only ones who impressed Kira. The painting on the ceiling showed an ancient drawing of two cranes each with a peony in their beaks. It seemed they would burst out of the ceiling and dance in their natural ways.

While Kira was admiring the grand chamber of the temple, a voice came from behind her. "Come what may." Whipping her head to where the voice was coming from, Kira lowered her head in respect when she discovered who it was. The oldest monk in the temple was walking slowly towards her with a long wooden stick clutched in his hand, and bowed also. "You came, just as he predicted." The monk stood beside Kira and stared at the holy chamber in silence. "Excuse me, Hoshi sama. What did you mean by 'just as he predicted'? Did you already know I would visit here?" The wrinkled, yet benevolent expression faced Kira after a long silence after her question. "Come what may. That is the truth in this chamber. You came because you knew where to look."

As Kira tilted her head in a curious manner, the monk motioned her to step inside the chamber. "Look carefully. Do not always look up. Sometimes you should look down." The monk pointed somewhere in the bottom with his wooden pointer. Kira looked down and fell down to her knees.

The portrait of her mother shone brightly under the light of the golden Buddha. A benign smile was formed tightly on the lips of the portrait, and the eyes were the same shape and color as her's. Kira couldn't stand the overflowing love in her heart. Every pain of her heartache flowed out of her eyes in drops of pellucid liquid. She didn't care a monk was behind her. Hugging her mother's portrait firmly in her chest, the vacant spot of a mother's instinctive love seemed to fill the dent in her heart. "O, O, Oka, a, Okaa san! Okaa san...My Okaa san..." Kira uttered out the name she longed to say out loud, and a warm arm was placed on her shoulder.

"You loved her. Just like your father did." At these words, Kira again whipped her teary face towards the sage. "Wa, was Otto-san here? When, why?" Kira almost yelled out the words, but the monk didn't seem to mind a bit. "He visited here everytime in this time of the year. But, he couldn't stay long as you can." Kira then noticed a whole bunch of bouquets in the corner of the chamber. All of the flowers just like her's...

Kira couldn't believe what she was hearing. 'Otto-san never phoned me even once! I thought he was too sick, and he could climb all of the steps to visit his dead wife? Didn't he have the time to even catch a plane to Denmark.' Both of Kira's fists trembled in anger and disgust, but her distress seemed to heal when the monk's warm hands carefully patted Kira on the back. "Ho, hoshi sama?" Kira murmured as she hastily brushed away her tears even though the pristine drops kept falling down to her damp cheeks. "Doushite? Doushite? Why couldn't he love me and care about the living not the dead?" Kira exclaimed as she looked at the bundles of flowers and the portrait of her mother back and forth.

"Please don't criticize your father. He loved you as much as he loved your mother. Can't you see the stained teardrops on the portrait. It is your father's." The good monk's words were right. Beneath the transparent glass, Kira could detect round stains of liquid, and it made her cry even harder. "The truth is in this chamber, Kotobuki san. Your father's truth, something he always kept from you, to protect you. He couldn't express his love in order to protect you." Kira looked around the chamber blindly as the monk slowly went on with his speech.

"Your father couldn't visit you or phone you because he was pursued by corrupt dealers. If he used a phone's service, the dealers would have detected him _and_ you easily. Your mother's grave used to be in Tokyo, but it was moved shortly to our temple for safety. Your father decided it would be safer to keep your mother's spirits in a special shrine where the dealers won't find. He tried for the best. Already, he knew he was dying. He passed away because of both wounds in mind and body. Imonoyama san found him few monthes ago, but he was too late. Your father was already dying from a disease caused by loneliness and grief of losing both his wife and daughter. He loved you from the beginning to the end, Kotobuki san. You should never question a love of a parent. He told me that you will visit here someday, that you will come back. Always talking about his daughter, how glad he was when the Imonoyamas agreed to bring you in. Even though his life was exhausting and weary, his last moments were blissful of the fact that you are going to have a safe life, a happy life, as a normal person, _not a member of the Kotobuki buisness..."_

Staring blindly at a wall opposite of the monk, a hollow smile, and short wails escaped from her lips. "I, I sinned, Hoshi sama. I am a sinner. You don't know how much I hated my father in Denmark. Why didn't he tell me? Why didn't I know? Ho, hoshi sama, do you know what I've done to Otto-san?" When the monk was answerless, Kira just went on by murmuring to herself. "I resented and hated my father till the end. When my father was having a hard time, I just complained and threw a tantrum. I was always doubtful, and Otto-san wa, Otto-san wa. And I knew nothing about it...Absolutely nothing!" Kira wails hung in the air as the sun slowly set beneath the mountains and darkness fell. Covering her face with her cupped hands, she wept for her parents with the monk's silent prayer.

Falling stars...

Falling gently down to earth...

In to your arms...

An owl's hooting somewhere in the forest, a monk's silent prayer, and a girl's sobbing. 'All of their sorrows will be consoled', the stars promised. As numerous numbers of stars fell from the sky. It was a beautiful night for the ruthful...

The way to the train station didn't seem so creepy compared to the impenetrable darkness as Kira dipped her head to the monks respectfully as a farewell. "Let the virtue of the Buddha be with you." The monks chorused and the bhikkuhni motioned Kira with his lantern. "Are you showing me the way?" Kira asked the young monk. The bhikkhuni just nodded as he walked down the steepy hill sides easily. The bright light of the lantern seemed to warm Kira's broken heart into one. She have cried enough for one day.

The trip to the station was silent, as if both of them didn't know what to say to each other. Looking at the bhikkuhni, Kira could guess his age. He won't be more older than 10 or 11, and in a flurry of minutes, she arrived at the station.

"A, anou," the bhikkuhni addressed Kira when she tried to leave to the station. "What is it, good monk?" The bhikkuhni seemed to smile in pleasure as he fumbled around in his robe and pulled out a medium sized, dusty book. "My master wanted me to give this to you, Kotobuki san." Handing Kira the book, the young monk walked up the hills. Opening the book, Kira noticed it was a photo album filled with reminiscence of her childhood and her parents. Smiling, Kira looked up from the book and gazed at the faint light that flickered in the darkness. "A, anou!" Kira yelled at the light. "Arigato, thank you so much! Ja ne!" The lantern seemed to tilt as if the bhikkuhni bowed down slightly as he noticed Kira's friendly wave.

Smiling gleefully, Kira tucked the album inside her school bag and made a congenial gaze at the light which was moving gradually farther away. 'I learned a lot today Okaa-san, Otto-san. I knew that holding back your tears isn't always the perfect way to solve a problem. I may not cry, but I can't hide this emptiness in my heart. Go, gomenasai, I always tried to see your love, that is why I never felt it.' Rubbing away the tears away from her cheeks, Kira bowed down on her knees toward the temple. 'My parents are not dead. They are not. It is not a good-bye forever.' Standing up again, Kira suddenly remebered the first day she came to Tokyo.

'It is not a good-bye forever.'

Kira looked at the dimming light once more and whipped her head as she skipped down the steps towards the train station. The station wasn't so crowded as she expected and glanced up at the clock beside the ticket counter. The arrow was pointed to 8 p.m. 'Gosh, I am late. It would be take at least an hour to get to Tokyo again.' After the shock about the death of her father, Kira seemed to understand what kind of trouble she was in. Nokoru would be so mad at her! How much Kira tried to think of a petty trick to get over the one-week detention she was going to face, she couldn't think of a good excuse to outsmart Nokoru.

The train hooted from the other direction, and as Kira sat down on a vacant seat, another problem popped in her mind. 'What should I say when Nokoru asks where I have been?' She couldn't possibly say she have been in a temple in the mountains! He would think she was lying. She also can't say the truth about praying about her dead mother. He would also think it would be a lie. 'What should I do.' As her distress went deeper into her heart, Kira glanced at the musty album that was given to her by the eldest monk. She only looked at the first page. 'Nokoru, Nokoru..'

His name seemed to make all her problems away even though he was the cause of her worries. Flipping through the pages, Kira flipped the last page open. There it was. The photo of Nokoru and her, sitting together in the flower garden, smiling brightly at the camera. The smile of the young blonde boy in the photo made a mild smile on Kira's lips as looked at the next page. This was the one she got a candid shot of Nokoru under a cherry blossom tree. It was beautiful.

Slowly and carefully with her fingers, Kira started to cut the photo with her fingers so only Nokoru's head could show, into a small oval. Luckily no part of the wonderful smile was ripped off, and Kira gently clipped the photo into the empty space of her locket. When she closed the locket again, the letters engraved inn gold stood out under the bright lights of the train. _'The person whom I love.'_

_'Otto-san gave up his life for mine. He lived a life as a recluse, because he loved me. Can I do that? Give up love for his happiness? For Nokoru?'_

* * *

It was almost nine o' clock, yer Kira was still not home. Nokrou sighed in the kitchen looking inside the steaming pot. Somehow he didn't feel so angry after the talk with his mother at the clock tower._ 'Kira san stayed up, waiting for you.' _Somehow after the conversation with Rijichou, Nokoru felt his anger soothing down. He was a ladies' man after all. That was what he was. _That was what he had to be. _Forgotton in his daydreaming about his true belonging and the conversation he would have in order to get some answers from Kira, Nokoru almost forgot to turn down the heat from max into min. The lid clinked and clanked which made Nokoru blink from his thoughts.

"Damn it." Nokoru swore under his breath as he turned the gas valve off. He even forgot how hot the pot was! Touching the gleaming, hot iron sent an intense burn on Nokoru's delicate palm. Swearing something vile under his breath, Nokoru peered inside the pot and smiled in relief. "Wakata, it smells good at least." Pouring some cold water on his burned palm, Nokoru's maid, Geiko ran into the kitchen. "What is it, Nokoru sama? Did you get hurt? I warned you to let me cook whatever you are making!" Geiko fussed as she looked at Nokoru's red, swollen palm.

"It doesn't hurt that much, Geiko san. Oh, and can you do me a favor. Can you take some of the soup from the pot and a first-aid kit to Kira's room?" Nokoru made a comforting grin as he made an apologetic look in his eyes. Shaking her head, Geiko did what she was asked for. When Nokoru could hear Geiko climbing up the stairs to Kira's room, Nokoru brushed off the water off his hand. "Well, I hope it won't be so serious."

It was past nine. Still closing his fingers around the painful part of the burn, Nokoru paced restlessly under the staircase. He sat down on the stairs for a few minutes and paced some more. "Why don't you wait for her in your room, I will tell you when she is here. Or do you feel sorry for worrying her so much last night?" Nokoru's pacing stopped abruptly when he saw Rijichou's prescence in her elegant lace gown, a Japanese fan still covering her eyes. "You again saw me from your monitors. Old habits die hard, ne?" Nokoru said jokingly as he made a quick bow to Rijichou. "I never knew you cared so much about her." Rijichou smiled. "I am only waiting for her to make sure she attends to her detention class every day." Nokoru answered rather grimly.

"Oh is that so." Rijichou made another mysterious smile as she glided down back to her room. Sighing, Nokoru just hunkered down to the floor, and simply lay down with a thump, just like that on the floor. 'Is it only for your mother?' A voice inside him questioned. 'Of course it is. If I am generous to her, maybe Okaa-san would love me. Love me more than just an ordinary stranger.' 'I know that is only half of your answer.' Nokoru squinted his eyes up at the ceiling. 'No way, no way, no way.' _"Nokoru, Nokoru, Nokoru kun!"_

'Huh? Who is calling me?' Nokoru suddenly flickered his eyes open and there she was, Kira. The most surprising thing was, she was almost in tears. "What are you doing here, sleeping on the floor!" Kira was kneeling down beside him as Nokoru slowly got up and adjusted his eyes to the clock. It was almost ten. His sapphire blue eyes found amber's and somehow he just felt dazed. "Are you okay, Nokoru? Answer me, are you alright? Do you have a fever?" Kira's voice showed desperation and fear as she put her soft hand on Nokoru's forehead. 'She could have just ignored me.' Nokoru blinked his eyes stupidly and brushed Kira's hand away.

"I am fine. I just fell asleep that's all. As for you, you are in big trouble." Nokoru made his voice into a serious tone, yet regretted his behaviour when he saw Kira's eyes almost welling up in tears. He just couldn't stand a female crying because of him. "Go, gomene, come I'll help you to your room." Nokoru got up and noticed Kira's shoulder. It was still wet in crimson liquid. 'So she still didn't put a bandage on.' Nokoru looked away shamefully from Kira's dumbfounded expression. As if Kira was exhausted, she just followed his lead without a fuss. Unlike other days.

Kira's bedroom wasn't big nor ornate as his, but it was cozy and warm. Since this was the first time he was in her room, Nokoru looked around as if this would be the first and last time to be in here. Settling down Kira on one of the armchairs, Nokoru sat on one of them too. "You should have at least put something on your injury, silly." It was usually Kira who teased his character. This time it was the other way around. Kira would have complained of getting help, but not this time. She just quietly obeyed him and just looked at her injury as Nokoru carefully rolled up her sleeve.

'Maybe she is sorry of her immature behaviour at school.' Nokoru guessed and gasped as he looked at the wound. The sticky blood was matted under the fabric and it was so swollen. "Didn't it even hurt? Why did you run off, anyway? You went partying with Anita san, right?" Nokoru asked as he gently cared his patient.

Kira was taken aback. 'Right, partying when it is Okaa-san's deathday.' Yet, she was exhausted and tired, and that was when she finally realized the pain on her arm and hunger. A warm bowl was on her table, but she didn't want to be rude. Nokoru seemed to notice her exhaustion anyway as she just looked at him soundlessly. The blonde haired boy looked up from Kira's wound, now tightly bandaged. "It could have been serious, you know." Nokoru made a benign smile, but was confused when he saw Kira's calmness as her amber eyes were fixed on his because Kira usually looked away from him.

Nokoru's adam's apple tingled uneasily as his insecurity boosted up. He never got up to a female's face close as this, and what about this awkward silence? For this time, Nokoru desperately wished Kira to be her chatty self again. Looking at Kira's face closely, Nokoru noticed it was prettier than he thought it would be. Especially her amber eyes. This amber wasn't the playful, reckless ones in school, they looked, they looked...

Fragile.

'Yes, fragile.' Nokoru wondered, and when he was just about to look closer into them, Kira interrupted his thoughts. "Oh my gosh, look at your hand, Nokoru!" Kira exclaimed as she clapped her hands over her mouth. "It' it's nothing." Nokoru stammered. The amber were once again filled with strength and he was curious of where all those power came from. "Look who is talking." Kira said sarcastically as she held Nokoru's swolled hands into hers. Nokoru thought the burn was going to sting, but it was quite the opposite. Kira's cold hands were so cool against his, and this time he didn't brush them away.

Still, the irrepressible tension in the air didn't seem to ease, yet Kira's eyes were changed as if she was determined to close off her mind. Reluctantly, Nokoru pushed Kira's hands away. "Your hungry, right? I made carrot soup, your favorite." Nokoru decided to say some kind of conversation as he rose from his seat, looking up at the painting on the ceiling instead of mesmerizing himself by those two amber pair of jewels. "A, arigato." Kira was grateful as she held Nokoru's hand again.

"What? You don't have to worry about it, Kira san. I am okay, thanks to you." Nokoru said, blushing furiously. "No, it should stay cool, or else that hand will be scarred for the rest of your life! And I don't want Takamura san to be mad at me because it is all my fault that you are hurt." Kira said fiercely as she tried her best not to blush. Fumbling inside her school bag, Kira pulled out a white handkercheif which was decorated in blue thread around the edges. "Will you wait here for a bit?" Kira said hurriedly as she half-ran to the bathroom.

Immersing the fabric in ice cold water, Kira squeezed the dripping liquid and made haste to where Nokoru was sitting who was trying his best to decipher the meaning of Kira sudden obedience and gloom. "Here." Wrapping the handkercheif professionally around Nokoru's burnt hand, Nokoru pulled out his hand from her grip. 'How can she do this without blushing? And why is my face so hot?' "Look, it's really okay." Kira shook her head as if she couldn't seem to get his words. "No you look, Nokoru. You may be a genious in everything, but you are just not street smart. That burn is serious, and I bet you should cool if off for a bit of more time, unless you want me to hold you hand every where you go." Kira said as she tried to muffle her laughter.

Nokoru just had to give in, and stood up quickly from the arm chair as soon as Kira finished tying the wet cloth on his pristine palm. Striding toward the door, Nokoru hesitated at the doorway and looked back. Kira was just sitting there quietly looking at him innocently. Somehow the words 'Arigato Kira chan' couldn't come out of his mouth, instead a whole different set of words slid out of his tongue.

"You got a whole week of detention starting tomorrow." Nokoru said, and made a voluminous sigh of relief when he detected there were no disappointment in the pair of amber eyes. "I know. I'll be there, I promise. Good night." Kira said, pulling a fake smile on her face. At that, the door closed abruptly.

Leaning against the closed door, Nokoru breathed heavily as if he just ran in a marathon. The cool handkercheif was really helping the pain to ease as Kira predicted, but the intense heat of his face apparently didn't cool down. Trying to walk back to his own room, Nokoru's feet felt as if it was totally mired, and his feeble eyes traced down to his palm._ 'I , I can't be. It' it can't be. I am not. Am I..? Actually?' _That was when Nokoru felt a distant drip of a waterdrop. _Or a teardrop..._

Nokoru's prediction could have been right. Sipping the warm, tasty liquid into her lips, a tear or two slided down into the bowl. That was when Kira realized that those two drops of fluid was her tears. "I am wasting my tears." Kira murmured under more tears as she pushed the spoon out of her mouth, and spooned some more soup into her mouth, trying to stifle her tears. "Why am I crying when it's so delicious. So delicious. So good. A good day. Yes, a good day like any other..." Her voice seemed to be lost when that day's reminiscence flooded back which she tried so hard to ignore.

* * *

_Flashback, Kira's pov_

_It was a warm, spring day when my mother visited the house after a long period of time in the hospital._

_"I am so glad you came back home, Okaa-san. I should call Otto-san to celebrate. We can all go to that Italian restautant you like, and.." _

_I stopped abruptly, my hand stretched out to the phone, when I saw Okaa-san's matted look in her eyes. It looked tired and fragile._

_"I don't think Otto-san is going to come. He is too busy with his buisness ne, Kira?" I just had to obey my mother's trembling favor. I knew that my mother wasn't completely healed yet and she was ill, but I just kept telling myself that she was healthy and okay. Still, her sallow and gaunt face kept shaking me up._

_"Otto-san doesn't go up to the comapny that much nowadays anyway. The maids and butlers seem to leave this estate too. Whatever, what are you making Okaa-san?" I asked in an immature manner, ripping my mother's heart in every single word. Still, she composed herself since she was the great Kotobuki mistress herself._

_"Why don't we just spend today just for the two of us since I am making carrot soup." Okaa-san said happily._

_"What? No, I hate carrots! Okaa-san, you know how much I hate carrots!" I threw a tantrum tactlessly and ripped another part of Okaa-san._

_"Well, we will try to eat it together when I come back from the hospital. Got to change your picky habits, eh?" It took me years to figure out that Okaa-san was faking a smile, stifling wails of pain, actually dying from the disease, all for me at that day._

_"Are you going back to that stupid hospital again?" Again, Okaa-san made a warm yet painful smile._

_"There the soup is finally done. Please eat, I know you are hungry." She said winking, and walked out of the kitchen with Hendrickson san's help._

_"Why can't you stay with me?" I yelled out the window when I saw my mother heading to her limo._

_"I'll be back, soon Kira. It's not a good-bye forever. I'll come back." How naive and stupid I was, I didn't know Okaa-san only had a couple of hours to live. She only said those words to comfort me. In order to cut off my picky habits before she would die..._

_I waited, and waited for my mother to come back. The sun fell down over the horizon and night fell. Neither Hendrickson-san, Otto-san, or Okaa-san came home. I felt hunger creeping over my stomach and how much I tried not to peer at the hot pot of soup, I walked slowly up to it, and poured some in a porcelain bowl._

_I ate some, and I swear it was the most delicious food I ate in my lifetime, and the last food I ate with such happiness and gleefulness._

_When I finished my bowl and tried to get some more, the phone rang. No maids offered to get it, so I strode and picked up the phone._

_I was in a good mood, and I said an affable 'Hello' into the receiver. Well, the returned greeting wasn't what I wanted to hear. As I just dropped the phone, not wanting to hear Hendrickson's muffled voice. I just looked back at the empty soup bowl. _

_The bowl which was filled with warm soup just a minute ago was now filled with my tears in a second...._

* * *

**Author's Note: **Well, how was it? The story went a bit too long this time, but I hope you will still like it. If you didn't know what a 'bhikkuhni' or a

'bodhisattva' is, please look under.

bhikkuhni: a young, child monk.

bodhisattav: a female Buddha.

I hope this would be a help in your reading~^o^

**Replies To Reviews:** I think I should start to write replies to thank for the kindly written reviews!

**James Birdsong: **Thanks for keep reading all of my chapters. I am glad of your patience for waiting my next chapter. Better write some romance scenes

right?

**Pastillas de Leche: **Was 'For that Special One' the best chaper so far? I am glad, and she obtained the injury in the seventh chapter because she dropped

the gliding gears in the hallway. One of them may had a sharp edge, ne?

~Again thanks for reviewing, please RnR~


	9. Just An Inch Away

_Lament from sin.._

_The moment you look away..a drop._

_The moment you say the last word..a drop._

_The moment you look at her..a drop._

_At the thousandth drip, I realize my sin.._

_Dreaming of the sky from the ground..._

_That was my sin..._

* * *

There was a small creak at the door and a streak of sunlight filtered into the dark, gloomy chamber. Clicking on the lights, Kotobuki Kira scanned the music room carefully, and smiled. "Yokata, it's vacant." Quietly tip-toeing into the room, Kira slumped on to one of the chairs and carefully caressed her arms. Ever since the trip to the temple, everything seemed so hectic.

For one thing, there was always detention in the council room after Suoh and Akira have gone. Nokoru usually dumped the remaining paperworks on her and left to socialize around the school. The documents she received were very tedious, and yes boring. No wonder he always hated them. Still, the charming blonde president wasn't calleda feminist for nothing. His habits of being polite to ladies even to unpredictable and strange ones like Kira lagged along beside him since elementary school. Even though he could have just gone home by himself, Nokoru always waited for her finish all her detention duties. Looking at the returned handkerchief she has lent to Nokoru, Kira made a small smile as she retraced her recollections of yesterday evening.

_Flashback_

_As usual the Clamp clock tower struck eight when Kira served her time stuck in Nokoru's office busying herself with piles and piles of documents. Darkness fell on the school grounds and yet Kira could easily detect the shape of Nokoru's lean and tall figure beside the gigantic Japanese cypress tree he used as his natural hideout._

_"Gomen, how many hours did you wait out here?" Kira asked as she tried to catch her breath from running down the hill._

_"Do you think NASA wants my brains for nothing? Of course I am not an idiot to stand around waiting in this windy weather." Nokoru grinned teasingly as he grabbed Kira's school case for her, but his arms drooped to the ground as soon as Kira handed it to him. Although Kira could tell that he was in the cold for at least an hour due to his trembling blue lips, she just ignored them, smiling to herself._

_"Why is it so heavy? Did you stuff rocks in here to prank me?" The pair of gleaming cyan eyes glared accusingly at Kira who was in this case making fun of Nokoru's lack of athletic abilities._

_"Iie, why would I stuff rocks in there, silly? It's just heavy because it is piled with my music stuff since I got to practice for my upcoming solo." Kira replied as she took her case back and climbed into the limo._

_"Eh? I thought the music concert is not until autumn? Why prepare so early?" Nokoru questioned as he too pulled himself into the warm backseat of the limo._

_"Thought you would already know by now since you are the Clamp high school's most respected and adored student council president that I would be a senior in autumn and how great expectations this academy has for young musicians." Kira answered cooly as she leaned against the soft leather seat. "One more day of detention and I would finally get rid of something from my to-do list."_

_That was when Nokoru noticed pools of dark circles under Kira's eyes since he first thought them as a bad eye-liner disaster, feeling guilty at the thought that the cause of Kira's exhaustion and lack of sleep was all his fault. "Um, Kira." Nokoru gently shaked Kira's shoulder and relieved when she didn't flinch although it was the shoulder with the nasty cut. "Yeah, what?" Kira answered, still both eyes tightly closed. "My burn is healed. It's all well now thanks to you. You are pretty smarter than I thought?" Nokoru teased playfully and handed her the handkerchief he borrowed when Kira opened her amber eyes and looked straight into his blue ones with a wry smile on her lips._

_"Are you calling me dumb?" Kira sat up and straightened herself as she retreived her handkerchief back. "Well, judging by your working habits in biology classes, you can't really call yourself smart either." Nokoru chuckled gleefully. Frowning slightly, Kira turned her back to Nokoru and glanced the view outside the window. "Hey, your not mad at me, ne?" Nokoru felt slightly guilty. After he heard someone sobbing inside Kira's room last Friday, Nokoru didn't feel annoyed or disgruntled of Kira anymore. In fact, he kind of wanted to be her friend._

_"Want to hear a story?" Kira mumbled as she slightly turned away from the cool glass. "'Uh, sure." Nokoru answered abruptly and guessed that changing the subject was Kira's way of forgiving. "It's about this handkerchief. I got this thing from an old man I knew since I could remember from Denmark. His name was 'James Hendrickson', and he was filled with stories." Assuming that he will be one of the old men Kira helped out in the senior's home for volunteering credits at school, Nokoru kept on listening. "When Hendrickson san was just a young boy, Denmark became occupated by the German Nazis. His family lost all of their valuables and could no longer eat fancy dishes due to lack of wealth. But the people who were really in need were the Jews."_

_Thinking it will be one of those historical moments of the second world war, Nokoru looked up at the ceiling of the car and pretended to be interested. Since he already finished the history of the Nazis when he was only in grade three, not to say that he already wrote a twelve page thesis about the cause and effects about the treacherous dictator Adolf Hitler in grade four. "So, Hendrickson san had a close friend and neighbor who was Jewish called, sorry forgot the name. Oh well, as I was saying this Jewish friend of his had to go in hiding. He decided to go hide in Hendrickson san's basement until he find a way to flee to Switzerlnd, but a problem occured once again. Since the Gestapo carried specially trained dogs who can scent Jews, hiding couldn't become an opportunity." Kira murmured as she twirled and twirled the handkerchief in her hand, and Nokoru suddenly became interested in the story._

_"So? What's your point?"Nokoru prodded Kira to go along with the story. "Okay, 'I am almost there. Hm, where were we? Oh yeah, so this handkerchief have this special ability to numb the senses of smell of the dog, it practically saved the Jews' life." And then she added. "He told me this tale when I tripped on his doorstep, and when my knee was bleeding very badly. Telling me that everything will be okay that the bleeding will stop as he wrapped this handkrchief around my knee. Then, the pain and the blood went away. It just disappeared..."_

_Listening carefully, Nokoru could feel the reminiscence of the recent tale of Kira. He could tell that she missed Denmark, the land which was her home. Her back to him, Kira was still mumbling something under her breath. What made Nokoru hurt most wasn't the burn on his palm all along. It was that painfully familiar look melancholy reflected on the window. Just as he was about to cheer her up about his birthday party and that she can get a day off for detention tomorrow to attend the dinner party, a voice sounding distant slipped from Kira's lips and pemeated into his ears. "Come to think of it, there were so many peope who cared for me all along, you, Hendrickson san, and my parents.." Again, Nokoru wondered why she always had that hollow and melancholy look in her eyes everytime she mentions about her parents._

_When Nokoru tried to ask Kira about her parents, he was caught off guard and his lips suddenly got tangled as if it was resisting to speak. "Somehow, I never cared for someone and showed it through my action. Actually, I was quite the opposite. Causing pain when I was the one responsible, smearing tears on the cheeks I love the most, and I already left my most beloved person to die and rot away.." From what Nokoru noticed, the two glowing amber eyes reflected off the icy cold window seemed to grow distant by the passing minute. Moving his hand unintentionally toward Kira, Nokoru felt something more that pity for her. Hovering just an inch from Kira's shoulder, Nokoru almost grabbed her by the arm not if the sudden Saku san's cheerful notice for their arrival._

_Turning her back toward him, Nokoru quickly hid both of his hand behind his back as Kira made her usual straight face at him as if nothing happened when something did show up on her face while she mentioned about how she blamed herself for causing so much pain on so someone she love. Confessing her sin right in front of him, showing her weakened spot without a tear._

_"Well, I'll get going. See you tommorrow morning Nokoru, ja." She said in the most cheerful way. Too cheerful. Nokoru could tell that she was faking her smile. But for what? And what was that tugging urge in his heart just now. It was similar to the one at the lake yet stronger and clearer. This time he showed his feelings in action, lucky that Kira didn't see it. The stretch of his arm and the honest yet the desperate look in his eyes was a forbidden gesture for an Imonoyama, and he himself was the one who was best at this in his family._

_Still sitting on his car seat despite Saku san's questions about this weird situation, Nokoru gazed straight at Kira's back until it disappeared from the dark. 'Who will be that loved person who Kira caused so much pain, and why is she being so guilty about it? Will she answer who it is if I ask? Will she?' But, Nokoru couldn't run up and just ask. He was scared he will trouble Kira's already disheveled mood. 'I got something though. She must have some painful past, something about her family, and she caused a terrible sin in the past she hopes to hide. I know the big picture of it, now I just have to know the details.'_

_As Nokoru walked in his usual elegant walk toward the mansion, he picked out a slightly wrinkled envelope from his side pocket. The two letters written clearly on the right hand side of the paper was quickly erased and replaced into two new ones. Gazing at Kira's balcony, Nokoru reluctantly gripped on the envelope tighter. 'If she committed some sort of crime, it is best to keep my distance now...'_

_._

_._

_._

_._

_Beware Kira, you will be chased out of this country yet again.._

Waking up in alarm, Kira gazed dumbfoundedly around the room and tried to focus of what was going on here. Yes, she have dosed off in the music room and that is why she was just sleeping there on the chair with her music sheets piled up on her lap. Since she was sleeping in an uncomfortable position, Kira felt as if she had a bad nightmare. She was walking in the dark and she could feel hot yet a piercing gaze searing down her back. Although Kira was sure it was someone looking right through her, she wasn't sure who would it be. Twirling the handkerchief in her hand and yawning at the same time, Kira shrugged off the unpleasant memory of yesterday. It was supposed to cheer her up, but it somehow backfired and made her realize what a terrible mistake she have made back in the limo. Come to think of it, Nokoru haven't spoken to her since that night.

'What kind of a freak will he think I am?' Kira muttered under her breath as she tried to think of something different.

'Nokoru's birthday.' All the girls in the district were busy like a bee in this week, and the day has come. Nokoru's birthday. This week was especially tiring for Kira since she didn't have any clue what to give him. Anita told her she was going to give him a gliding model which he liked the best from her gliding model collection. Eventually, Kira has been running around the campus mall right after detention, but there wasn't anything good enough to buy for an Imonoyama.

'Should I bake something? No, Akira san will do that. What about I knit a nice scarf, I used to make them for Hendrickson san. No, the weather is getting warmer. What about.. What about.' Her head was filled with worries and choices, and today was the deadline. Sighing, Kira opened her harp case and strung some of the strings while staring into space. Strumming any tune she knew, Kira slowly closed her eyes, only her fingers awake. 'A month has passed since I came here.' All the new memories lushed past her as she opened her eyes.

Kira began to strum the strings faster and faster until she felt peaceful. The melody of her harp always seemed to calm her down. Today was also the last day of her detention and flipped through her music folder. Kira's music teacher was rushing his pupils to ready their solo pieces, and especially for Kira, she haven't chose one yet. 'So many things are troubling me this week.' The rhythmical sound seemed to soothe Kira's mind. 'I hope the time will stop like this forever. At least I am worrying about something a normal school girl would worry about. Not the sort of problems 'Kotobuki Kira' would...' She should be grateful, right?

Too much time have passed. Kira felt happy that she had something to worry about other than her father's secret and her insecurities. Somehow she have adapted and learned how to heal her own pains. Listening the tune over and over again, Kira fell into one of her dreams again. Then, her rhythmical strokes were suddenly interrupted by a group of stridents' shrill laughters.

Frowning, Kira lifted up the only window of the conservatory. Yes, and there he was. Imonoyama Nokoru being lionized by a huge horde of female students, not only from the high school district, but also from the unversity, junior high, and elementary too! Somehow the banging of her harp made her wake up from one of her futile desires. "Damn it!" Kira muttered as she picked up her harp and examined for any rusts or scratches.

Closing the window and drawing the thick, velvet curtains determinedly, Kira slumped down to the floor. Yes, there were some scratches on her harp, but that wasn't the only reason for the sudden downfall. Again, Kira strummed some of the strings. Maybe she needed a different antidote. Music couldn't cheer her up any more. _'Instruments can be fixed, hearts cannot.'_

* * *

If Kira only hadn't dropped her harp, her heart would have ached even more since she wasn't the only one with a damaged heart.

Kyogoku Midoriko sat behind one of her lavender bushes, and peeked out three times in a row at a blonde haired boy who had flashing white teeth, warm, blue eyes which tinkled with affable gratitude, and never-ending smiles. "Come on, Midoriko you can do this." She kept repeating to herself since Kyogoku Midoriko, one of the proudest and the smartest girl in the campus admitting her huge crush on the youngest heir of the Imonoyama zabitsu years ago, and she couldn't forget the day when she presented her lavender bushes to Nokoru for the first time.

That day was the happiest time in her life, when he actually hugged her in a warm embrace despite the cold rain. That day's memory always made her cheer up as she tried to get up, but quickly sat down again, her face blushing furiously. 'Gosh, did he see me?' But, Midoriko's uneasy glances couldn't be spotted by the young Imonoyama because of his two colleagues who were dashing their best to pursue their runaway senpai.

"KAICHOU!" Suoh's voice seemed to attract some of the women from the crowd to him which made an opportunity to Nokoru to escape. "Thank you ladies for your overqualified gifts. And sorry if I can excuse." Nokoru yelled out loud as he ran in the opposite way while waving to the girls who were sighing of inconvenience. "Kaichou, there are mountains of paperwork, please come back!" This time Akira screamed which made the female students become even more excited.

"Go, gomene Akira. Just leave it for Kira san! And, Suoh can I just go? Just for today?" Nokoru yelled out desperately. 'I don't want to do that lousy paperwork on my birthday. Please, give me a break.' Nokoru's fan flipped open to hid his mocking smile. The writings on the fan indicated 'patience' in chinese character. Old habits die hard. It seemed harder to slack off from council works as he got older. The pile of documents just piled up higher, and Suoh's ninja skills just seemed to be improving by the minute which even made harder for the poor, blonde president to escape.

Midoriko looked up cautiously from her hiding place due to the sudden turbulence. The delighted shrieks of the female students and Suoh and Akira's powerless attempts to free themselves from the mob of at least two hundered females somehow woke Midoriko from her daydream and she immediately figured out what was happening. Grinning, Midoriko stood up completely from the lavender bushes. The cute charmer had slacked off from his duties again. That was one of the personalities of Nokoru which Midoriko simply adored.

'Our personalities so similar and opposite at the same time. It feels our lives are entwined.' Then her lips which were just formed into a delighted grin, was now replaced by a wry, crooked frown. Looking down at the neat pot plant of a young lavender which was wrapped impeccably in transparent wrapping paper with light green pokadots and hearts, Midoriko sighed. She wanted her gift to be special to chairman than other gifts by her school-mates. Hugging the pot-plant closer to her bosom, Midoriko felt crestfallen. 'I guess I won't be able to send this to him right now.'

Suddenly, the pot-plant seemed so pointless and useless now as Midoriko turned around with another heaving sigh. Then, a firm, soft hand grabbed her by the wrist and the other covered up her mouth which made a short gasp escape from Midoriko's lips. Before she could scream for help, she figured out the owner of the amoroso, yet the confident grip wouldn't be one of a crook's or a burglar's. She wanted to hold this hand for so long, and remembered the touch ever since the rainy day of May four years ago. With the edge of her vision, Midoriko could catch a hint of golden strands and ivory skin.

"No, noko..." Midoriko tried to express her delight of seeing him, but her muffled words were interrupted by a desperate hush which was escaped from Nokoru's angelic lips. Then, Midoriko heard something outside of the lavender bush. Sound of footsteps.

"Where did Kaichou go? He was running toward here a moment ago. Can you spot him Iiyujin?" Suoh called to his kouhai who was in this case high up in a tree, trying to find the missing senpai. "Iie, Takamura senpai. I can't see him." Akira called back and landed on to the ground in one, swift leap. Instead of scolding for not finding the chairman, Suoh just sighed with his fingers on his temple while Akira made an apologetic grin. "Alright Iiyujin, you know the drill. You go to the left, I'll go to the right. If you see him give me a sign, ne?" Suoh quickly ran in the opposite direction and Akira did the same.

As the foorsteps of his two colleagues died away, Nokoru slowly released the grip which was held tightly against Midoriko's wrist. "Go, gomenasai Kyogoku san. Please forgive my disrespectful behaviour." Midoriko tried to stop herself from blushing furiously and shuffled away in an embarassed way. "No, no it is alright for me." Midoriko stammered as she tried to hide her pot plant behind her back. "Would you mind if I stay behind your most beloved lavender bushes?" Nokoru flashed a smile at her as he flipped open his fan. '_I know I am not supposed to put another woman above others, but Midoriko san is just too interesting.'_

"Ha, hai. Chairman." Midoriko finally composed herself from the alarming appearance of her immacualte classmate. Smoothing her skirt, Midoriko tried to act like herself as possible. Peering at her pot plant and then at Nokoru's reckless smile, Midoriko made a small sigh. "Do you have something to say, Midoriko san?" Nokoru prompted carefully. He was glad he could be in his perfect, calm self in front of Midoriko unlike himself in Kira's view. "Midoriko san." The blonde class rep flinched and looked down quickly to her hands. "You know what." Her heart kept beating faster and faster. "I am glad I thought of your lavender bushes as my hideout." Nokoru murmured as he tried to get to the part he wanted to say. Midoriko felt her face growing red again. 'How can he say every words with such a compliment.

"A, arigato, chairman." Midoriko mumbled grateful words of thanks as her eyes traced down to Nokoru's side pocket. A small white envelope was peeking out which was tucked in tightly. "Oh, this?" Nokoru asked when he discovered Midoriko's green eyes falling on the envelope. "Actually, I hid in your lavender bushes purposefully." Nokoru added as he fumbled the envelope out of his pocket. "To give you this." The blonde class rep's green eyes sparkled with the most grace. 'For me? He is giving this for me and only me.' Unlike her usual casualness, Midoriko ripped open the envelope and took out the light pink colored paper with a hurrying manner.

Nokoru grinned all this time and chuckled a warm laugh when he saw Midoriko's half surprised and half pleased. "Really, are you inviting me? I thought this was only privately sent to the Elementary council and the other two detectives." The sparkling green eyes almost welled up in tears as Midoriko tried to urge the clear liquid of true bliss from spilling out. She didn't wish to cry in front of her most beloved person. "So, can you come?" Nokoru pressed even though he already knew her answer. "Of, of course, Nokoru. I mean, kaichou." Midoriko's cheeks turned into peach pink as she said his name.

"Well then, I guess I better go. Poor Suoh and Akira will need some new shoe leather for running around the whole campus. Ja ne." Nokoru gave her a playful wink and turned away. "Wait, kaichou." Midoriko put all her courage to hold Nokoru. "What is it, Kyogoku san?" Midoriko half whispered and half murmured the words as she held up her lavender flower pot. "Well, I thought I might as well give something to you in return since you gave me the pleasure of inviting me to your birthday party." Nokoru caressed the plant with his delicate fingers. "Thank you for the gift, Midoriko san. I hope I am worthy for this lovely flower. This lavender will make a good place on my desk beside the wisteria." Nokoru flashed a grateful smile at Midoriko. "I will pick you up in my limo around 7:00, kay?" Nokoru stroked her soft blonde strands and left with a warm wave of the hands.

After a few minutes that felt like hours, Midoriko slowly got up from the ground still touching her hair where once been touched by Nokoru. Her Nokoru, only her's for that short moment. Only the thought of the touch felt like a dream for her. 'I got invited. Only me. Specially. No one else.' Midoriko felt blissful as she stumbled toward her classroom clutching on the hems of her skirt for balance. Looking at the neat italic handwriting of Nokoru for the one last time, Midoriko discovered that her name was written on a word which could have been erased absentmindedly or with too much force. The faded letters under her name could not be discovered yet Midoriko was sure it was someone's name. Someone who could have been invited instead of herself. Someone who somehow made her way through Nokoru's mind and got written on this invitation then got erased.

'What could this possibly mean? Does this mean I am not the only one?' Then, a familiar voice passed through Midoriko's ears. A voice she was so annoyed of. "Gonnichiwa, Midoriko san." Kira said her usual afternoon greeting as she came out of the dark conservatory while Midoriko eyed Kira who was slowly passing beside her and their eyes somehow met. She suddenly transformed her green eyes in a cool composure and looked at the amber ones straight back. But instead of a fiery amber glow, Kira's amber gave away nothing but the same shape and feeling Midoriko was so fond of.

_The pain of unrequited love..._

* * *

"Well, see you at the restaurant Kaichou!" Akira exclaimed cheerfully as he packed up his school case. "Are you sure you can bring all those gifts by yourself?" The blue haired ninja said in a concerned manner. "Everything is fine, really. Suoh, Akira. There is already a truck or two waiting beside the limo, so glad Saku san remembered my birthday and rented them." 'How can he not?' Both Suoh and Akira shook their heads in a sincere manner. Working with the youngest Imonoyama zabitsu for years and years, they never seen him selfish once. "Anyway, I already opened most of the presents you know. So do not worry, Suoh." Nokoru assured his bodyguard with the pat to the back. "I just wonder how Kaichou got all those gifts and made every different praise for each of them, Takamura senpai." Akira said while closing the council door behind his back. Suoh didn't reply, then a thought came to him.

"Hey, don't you think it's weird that Kaichou is making us dismiss early today?" Suoh blurted out suddenly that Akira was quite taken aback. "Well, of course Kaichou would want to give us enough time to get us ready for the party and to pick up Nagisa san and Utako chan?" Just then, both Suoh and Akira turned from the abrupt sound of footsteps behind them. "Oh, it was only you Kotobuki san!" Akira exclaimed. Unlike the playful raven-haired boy, Suoh just bowed curtly and eyed the newcomer carefully. "Kaichou will be at the council room." Suoh spoke in an aloof manner. "Aren't you going to get ready for the party? I think you will have a fun time with us all. Kaichou will be so sad since he will have no one to go with except for Rijichou perhaps." Before Suoh tried to remind his kouhai for his tactless behaviour, Kira responded to Akira friendly welcome.

"I can't go." Kira said trying to sound hopeful. "You can't go, why? You are kaichou's cousin." Akira suddenly protruded his pouty lips. Instead of Kira's weak reply, Suoh responded. "Kira san can't go and anyway, kaichou will come with Kyogoku san." Kira had just made a weak smile, but her smile faded away when the double doors opened and pushed her away. "What's going on? Oh, and the paperworks are all stacked on the snack table, Kira san." Nokoru said hastily as he slipped past Kira and headed straight to his colleagues. "Have a good time." Kira forced a smile back on her lips and waved her usual wave as if nothing happened. Suoh just bowed his brusque bow and Akira waved friendly back at her. For Nokoru, well he just waved without looking back, his coat hanging limply in his arm. "Good bye. And, and happy..."

But before Kira could say all this Nokoru just left from her sight, just like that. Looking at the small gift box in her palm, Kira sighed as she slowly worked her way through in the council office. Nokoru didn't look at her not even once. How can he? What did she do wrong all of a sudden? Gazing the council room thoiughtfully, Kira noticed something unfamilliar on the main president's desk. Climbing up the steps carefully, Kira discovered the thing was a plant. The radiant sunlight spreading out through the tightly drawn curtains made its' flourishing violet petals shine ever more brightly. It reminded Kira of someone... Someone who is always shining brightly like this plant. Kira thought as she stroked the leaves with pain. A tear or two fell down on the lavender leaf like a pristine drop of morning dew. Remebering the words Suoh have said to her made another scar on Kira's heart. _'Kaichou will come with Kyogoku san.' _

Wiping away the tears with her sleeve, Kira gazed numbly at the healthy lavender plant. She have already decided not to interfere in Nokoru's life. He is a son of a billionare, she is just one of the many orphans in Japan. Imonoyama Nokoru gets noticed and remembered by the country. Kotobuki Kira gets forgotton and neglected from the country. _'Were all your kindness a fake?' _Kira could see a glimpse of Nokoru through the velvet curtains as she remembered all the virtues he have shown her.

The time when he shown her a charming, friendly smile at the lake.  
_But, again he turned cold after being so cheerful like that. Was that smile a fake?_

The time when he comforted her the aching memories of her father.  
_But, again he became distant and aloof afterwards. Was that comfort a fake?_

_'Was it all a lie? Well, what can I expect, he is an Imonoyama. Different distant...'_

Walking casually toward his limo, Nokoru tried his best to ignore the whispers of Suoh and Akira. "So Kyogoku san is coming with us instead of Kotobuki san?" Akira asked as his dark eyes moved from side to side with alarm. "Yes, it is. Didn't you know?" Suoh whispered urgently. "Then what about Kira san?" Akira whispered back. "Utako chan was so eager to meet her." Suoh just sighing, shook his head twice. "Nagisa san wanted to see her too, but she can see Kira next time when there is a chance. Besides, I too am kind of worried. Have you seen kaichou's reaction to Kira san just now? This is like the first time he acted like that to a female. Don't you think it's weird, Iiyujin?" Suoh muttered under his breath, then winced when Nokoru looked back at him.

"You know, Suoh, Akira." Nokoru started as he took a step towrds them. "I think you guys should know this, but I heard something strange from Kira san just yesterday." Suoh and Akira went all wide eyed at the sudden topic. "You see, she said she caused a great sin in her life. What do you think it might be?" Nokoru prompted. "Well, if she could confess it to you, then it might not be such a bad one after all." Akira suggested. "But Iiyujin, kaichou is a feminist and a well-known ladies' man. Don't you think Kira san would think he would understand and confess something she wouldn't to him?" Suoh replied not only to Akira but to his senpai as well.

"You got a point there, Suoh. But, for now I guess I should try to avoid her." Nokoru responded as he climbed into the limo while Suoh and Akira got in after him. After the serious matter of his so-called cousin, the whole conversation turned into their usual banter. Such as, the amount of paperwork due tommorrow, the wonderful dinner party for tonight, and Nokoru's eager guesses of what the presents from Suoh and Akira will be. Despite all these normal and ordinary conversations, a thought kept reminding Nokoru and ringing inside his head the whole time just like before when he was waiting for Kira and accidentally fell asleep under the stairs.

_'Her past is not the real reason you her acting to her like this, isn't it?'_

_'What do you mean?'_

_'You already know that isn't real.'_

_'Or course it is. How can I not know my feelings.'_

_'Stop lying. You know you are avoiding her to not feel something you shouldn't feel.'_

And yes, it was true to be honest. Kira's past and her mysterious sins she confessed was not the real reason. It wasn't even part of it. The true reason for his cold shoulder and ignorings was because of him not her. The tugging and urging in his heart whenever she makes that hollow and painfully familiar look was the true reason. He just didn't want to admit it. No, scratch that. He just can't admit it. How can he, when he wasn't supposed to be?

Dropping off Suoh and Akira, Nokoru himself too got off in front if his mansion. Getting ready for the dinner party, Nokoru stripped himself from his school uniform and pulled himself an expensive pair of dress pants and a tuxedo. The fabulous blue suit looked just right for his matching blue eyes. Not too flashy yet elegant. Placing both of his hands on the doors of his enormous wardrobe, Nokoru hesitated. Beside the elaborate suits and expensive men's attires, a particular white dress caught the corner of his eye. The dress was exactly the size of someone Nokoru was meant to give it to. It would have flowed right down to her knees and the tight shoulder line would have showed off her figure. The golden hems and the carefully stitched sleeves were in a perfect harmony. And that wasn't all. There was also a matching choker with a single rose plucked in which completed the look.

Although Nokoru never thought Kira was actually pretty, but he had to admit that if she wore this dress, she would've exceeded normal beauty. Shaking his head, Nokoru tried to close the doors again, but hesitated once more. 'It's no use anymore. She is not going to come anyway. But, still..' Sighing, Nokoru picked up the dress by its' hanger and strolled out of his room. Since he already bought it, might as well just give it to her. She might need it anytime since by the looks of it, Kira didn't seem to own any kind of dress.

Opening the double doors of Kira's bed chamber, Nokoru hesitated yet again while trying to hang it in Kira's wardrobe. Ripping off the price tag and picking out a piece of orgami paper from her desk, Nokoru wrote a short note by faking Rijichou's italic handwriting. He had to scratch out and had to get at least five more orgami papers to write the best one.

_Kira san, think of this as a late arrival gift.  
I hope you will like it._

_-Rijichou-_

"Yoshi!" Nokoru exclaimed while wiping a sweat from his brow. Crumpling and dumping the other four crumple papers into the wastebasket, Nokoru smiled with glee. 'Now she will never know I would have given it to her.' Looking around the room for the best place to put his note and the dress, Nokoru thought the wardrobe would be too half-hearted. A single, notable doll by Kira's bedpost caught the corner of his eye.

Moving closer, Nokoru noticed that it was the doll Kira always bragged about it, and he could see why. The doll looked expensive for someone like Kira to buy. Maybe she got it as a gift. Plus, it somhow looked like Kira too except more graceful and perfect. _Somehow the other version of her... Somehow so reminding..._

Shaking his head from the thought, Nokoru carefully tucked the note in the doll's cupped hands and hung the dress on the edge of the bedpost. A sudden smile spreaded across of his lips of the thought of Kira being surprised, but the smile soon faded into a horror filled disbelief when he looked at the clock. 'Oh my gosh, I am definitely late!' Nokoru scrambled out of Kira's room, and raced down the halway keeping his cool composure. The clock tolled seven, and Nokoru's heart raced for each toll.

'Midoriko san must be waiting for so long. How can I be such an idiot?' Making a slight frown on his face, Nokoru remembered about the smile he had made back in Kira's bedroom.  
_'I only did it for guilt, right? Only for guilt. Nothing more...'_

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well, how was it? I made the twist between the love triangle a main idea here. ^ㅡ^

Hoped you like it, and thanks to 'James Birdsong' for reviewing my last one.

This one took a lot of time, since I suck in emotional parts. *Swear Drops* ^ㅁ^

Please RnR~


	10. Author's Note

Omg... It has been quite a while ever since I seen this unfamilliar(?) blue and white screen. Honestly, I missed those days, being a Clamp Gakuen otaku. ;; After I read the reviews, I made up my mind. Sorry for those I just kept hanging for the past couple of years. I was actually writing a made-up fairy tale for my friend's birthday, but it turned out like a piece of childlike nonsense, so I am back to you guys now~ XD!

Anyhow, I am very glad to be back and am extremely grateful for the supporters! Please keep up with my story since I will try hard not to crumple your expectations. I started this fic when I was in middle school and now I am high school! Wow, time flies past quickly, does it not? I'm not sure I will earn as much reviews as before, but I will still resume my vigorous writings!

I will write ASAP! So, stay tuned! hahahahaha


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